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U.S. Teams Up with Australia to Develop Alternative Aviation Fuels

Countries to share research and other efforts.

The FAA signed an agreement on Tuesday with Australia’s Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism to invest in the development of clean, sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based avgas.

The FAA said the two countries will exchange ideas, programs, research data, analysis and other resources to speed the shift toward alternative energy, and will cover the costs associated with the effort.

“The DOT and FAA are committed to making aviation as clean and as energy efficient as possible as part of our NextGen air traffic modernization goals,” said FAA Administration Randy Babbitt in a recent press release. According to Babbitt, the new agreement will help the FAA achieve those goals, “not only for U.S. aviation but air travel on the global level.”

As the cost of oil rises, pressure continues to mount on the aviation industry to seek out alternative energy sources. Just last month, the Obama Administration pledged up to $510 million over three years for aviation and marine biofuels as part of an initiative to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

A number of private aviation companies have also ventured into the field of alternative fuels, producing blends composed of a variety of sources, including camelina, algae and coconut oil, among others. And plants aren’t the only option being explored. NASA, for example, is testing the potential for animal fat to be used as a source of renewable jet fuel. (link to Pia’s blog)

To date, biofuel blends have successfully powered a wide range of aircraft, from business jets and airliners to fighters like the F-22.

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