Sustainable biofuels, analyzed in a series of recent test flights by Boeing, performed favorably in comparison to petroleum-based fuel, according to high-level elements of a study released today at the Paris Air Show by Boeing and a team from across the aviation industry.

According to the study, Evaluation of Bio-Derived Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (Bio-SPK), a series of laboratory, ground and flight tests conducted between 2006 and 2009 indicated the test fuels performed as well as or better than typical petroleum-based Jet A. The testing included several commercial airplane engine types using blends of up to 50 percent petroleum-based Jet A/Jet A-1 fuel and 50 percent sustainable biofuels.

The outlook for the biofuels market remains very positive in the 10 to 15 year time frame according to a report released by Pike Research today (15th June). The report, 'Biofuels Markets and Technologies' suggests that, despite significant current challenges, the combined biodiesel and ethanol markets will reach $247 billion in sales by 2020, up from just $76 billion in 2010.

The rapid growth in biofuels production could have far-reaching environmental and economic repercussions according to a report released today (12th June) by researchers at Rice University in the USA. The report, "The Water Footprint of Biofuels: A Drink or Drive Issue?", looks at the effect the water requirement biofuel feedstocks have on the environment.

A demonstration biomass to liquids plant was launched today (11th June) in Varkaus, Finland. The plant is owned by NSE Biofuels Oy, a joint venture between Neste Oil and Stora Enso. The facility, based at the Stora Enso Varkaus Mill includes a 12 MW gasifier, and will be used to develop technologies and engineering solutions for a commercial-scale plant. The demonstration process units will cover all stages, including drying of biomass, gasification, gas cleaning and testing of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts.

A petrol blend using 10% cellulosic ethanol went on sale in Ottawa today and will be trialled by Shell for the next month. The ethanol in the fuel is, says Shell, being produced locally from wheat straw at the Iogen Energy Corporation's demonstration plant. Iogen and Shell are partners in the plant, which now produces 40,000 litres of fuel per month.

The development of cellulosic ethanol and the current trial period is, explains the company, a key part of Shell’s strategic investment and development programme in sustainable biofuels.

The amount of water required to cultivate crops for biomass, is much greater than for other forms of energy, according to researchers from the University of Twente. In a set of results published earlier this week, the team from the university said that the generation of bioelectricity is significantly more water-efficient in the end, by a factor of two, than the production of biofuel.

A biomass gasification system at Dockside Green, is now operational and providing heat and hot water to residents of the award-winning $600 million green development in Victoria, British Columbia. The system is owned by Dockside Green Energy LLP, a "micro energy utility" created by Terasen Energy Services, Vancity Capital, and the Corix Group of Companies to own and operate the gasification system and administer the heat and hot water service for Dockside Green.