Have you ever imagined that the future of jet fuels may actually lie in algae or other alternative solutions other than kerosene? If that is the case, then you would be glad to hear of the program the US Department of Defense has been working on over the past years, attempting to find a more sustainable solution for aviation that stays away from the excessive consumption of petroleum fuels. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA, the people that gave the world ARPANET, which served as the basis of the internet are working on a great many projects at the same time, some with purely military applications, while others have a much wider range of use that could easily find their ways into the civilian world, much like ARPANET did back in the late 60s.
The scientific minds behind the DoD’s most dedicated think tank have their projects ranging from robotics to biotechnology, but this particular project for biofuel implementation seems like a promising step toward a more eco-friendly solutions for aviation needs worldwide. As this program’s main goal is to reduce the incredible reliance upon imported oil, DARPA scientists have been working on a renewable jet fuel known as JP-8 that aims to not only meet, but also exceed the performance metrics of the more traditional sources of jet fuel.
This type of fuel will be derived from a cellulose base materials and algae that won’t compete with food crops. The best part of the goals of the JP-8 project is the intention to create a stable fuel that acts in a way to allow easy integration with current engine systems and fuel storage without adjustments to airplanes. While still in development, the program has a promising future due to a number of factors, such as lowered fuel costs overall, fewer carbon emissions and a lower carbon footprint for global air travel without the need for expensive retrofitting of existing aircraft.
DARPA has ties to many of the scientific communities out there, which have often been used to create life-changing solutions worldwide, such as the phone app Siri, originally an offshoot of the CALO project funded by DARPA. The Biofuels program has accomplished a number of large steps toward completion of the project; mostly in ensuring algae and cellulose can be safely and effectively used to create a feedstock for the JP-8 fuel. General Atomics handle the algae project, while Logos Technologies are working on the cellulosic approach as part of the concentrated efforts to make the project work.
The effort to make cellulose fuel more widespread is still ongoing with further developments to follow in the coming years, but the future of air travel looks to finally and possibly be cheaper if civilian implementation of this type of fuel becomes more widespread. The applications of this can have far-reaching effects on the economy, being a boost to trade, moving companies and logistics and relocation of trade goods everywhere. While the boon to commercial passenger aviation should not be underestimated, the greatest benefit will still end up being cargo shipping across the globe, whether it is by companies or movers. What the project will create in the end as a finished result still remains to be seen in the near future.
This post is by Guest Energizer Sofia Lewis for: Van removal services in Westminster. She is a passionate freelance article writer and blogger. She is inspired by home improvement projects and writes mainly about house removals, storage, office relocation, green living home solutions, other home related topics.