BioFuels Journal

The airplane manufacturer Boeing has successfully tested Neste Oil's NEXBTL diesel fuel as a component of aviation fuel.

The first test flight took place on the U.S. using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and further testing is being planned.

The testing is part of the ecoDemonstrator program launched by Boeing in 2012 with the aim of investigating various technologies and materials to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Neste Oil has been chosen by Boeing as one of its partners for the program.

Neste Oil delivered regular winter grade NEXBTL diesel fuel, normally used in road vehicles, to Boeing's fuel supplier EPIC Aviation.

EPIC Aviation then used the fuel as a component in their Green diesel supplied to Boeing.

Renewable diesel fuel comprised 15% of the fuel used in one of the plane's two engines.

"The airplane performed as designed with the green diesel blend, just as it does with conventional jet fuel," said Capt. Mike Carriker, Chief Pilot Boeing Product Development and 777X.

"This is exactly what we want to see in flight tests with a new type of fuel."

"Aviation is one of our target markets, and we were happy to be involved in this test. NEXBTL has already been used on approximately 1,200 regular flights, but the fuel was specifically manufactured as aviation fuel."

"The successful test flight was carried out using renewable diesel as a 15% component of fossil kerosene. The objective is that low blends of high-quality renewable diesel will be used in aviation fuels in the future," says Kaisa Hietala, Neste Oil's Executive Vice President of Renewable Products Business Area.

For more information, please contact Kaisa Hietala at 358-10-458-4128.

See Related Websites/Articles:

• Neste Oil
• Boeing

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