aircraft1

Airbus has signed a cooperation agreement with RT-Biotekhprom, a subsidiary of state-owned industrial and defence firm Rostec, to accelerate the development and commercialisation of sustainable fuels for aviation in Russia.

This agreement was signed at the ongoing MAKS-2013 International Aviation and Space Show.

The initiative is part of efforts to develop a complete sustainable aviation fuel production capability in Russia using sustainable resources.

The partnership is aimed at assessing suitable feed stocks to comply with ecological, economic and social sustainability criteria; it will launch a large-scale analysis of Russian feedstock.

The aim of the research is to locally source sustainable raw materials that are suitable for the production of aviation fuel.

Airbus and Rostec expect to complete a full sustainability analysis by the end of 2014.

Airbus stated that it will support RT-Biotekhprom to ensure that the fuel produced complies with international aviation standards, alongside completing relevant flight test campaigns.

"We believe that the findings of this important study, which will be done for the first time in Russia, will contribute to a sustainable aviation sector in Russia."

Airbus Sales executive vice president Christopher Buckley said that sustainable fuels are a crucial part of the roadmap to meet the aviation industry’s ambitious CO2 targets.

"We believe that the findings of this important study, which will be done for the first time in Russia, will contribute to a sustainable aviation sector in Russia," Buckley said.

RT-Biothekhprom general director Sergey Kraevoj added: "The project will help us to improve the understanding of aviation Biofuels commercialization in Russia, identify the opportunities and challenges, and evaluate the possibility of social, economic, market and technology change and its cost, obstacles and challenges."

The collaboration is part of Airbus’s strategy to have in place sustainable aviation fuel value chains in every continent. To date, Airbus has value chains in Latin America, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and China.

Image: The initiative is part of efforts to develop a complete aviation fuel production capability in Russia using sustainable resources. Photo: courtesy of AKIN HOS.

Defence Technology