AVIATION HALOPHYTES:BOEING and biofuel producer Honeywell UOP have commissioned a study into whether plants that thrive in saltwater can provide sustainable aviation fuel.
Salt-resistant plants, known as halophytes, thrive in arid land, such as those found in the coastal deserts of Abu Dhabi, and can be irrigated using seawater. They are therefore widely regarded as a more sustainable source of biofuel than oil palm plants, for example, which compete with food crops for arable land and fresh water.
The research project, led by Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, could pave the way for growing halophytes in suitable areas located in the Emirate.
The plants have the potential to deliver high yields per acre of land, because their seeds contain a sizeable amount of oil. For example, oil constitutes 30 per cent of the mass of one of the species being studied, the Salicornia bigelovii.
Boeing commercial airplanes managing director of Environmental Strategy said that in the near term, halophytes, along with camelina and jatropha, are the focus of its studies, while algae will require longer-term research.
