WASHINGTON, USA — It’s no secret flying is not cheap, and one of the biggest reasons behind the costs is fuel. Researchers at Washington State University have found a way to produce a sustainable jet fuel that they hope will be a game changer. Researchers have been sowing corn stover, the stalks and cobs that are left after harvesting; they are also using certain trees, too.
It takes billions of gallons to fuel flights from all over the world every year, a cost that consumers pay for to go on trips, but new research is turning to a more sustainable way to fuel those flights.
“Everything you throw in the trash or flush down the toilet, I can find someone and turn that into jet fuel,” said Joshua Heyne, the director of biproduct sciences and engineering lab at Washington State University in the Tri Cities. They have found that certain material you find in plants, like corn and certain trees, can be used to fuel planes.
“Lignin is the material that gives plants a lot of their structure it makes them strong. So, naturally it’s one of the things that makes it difficult to work with to convert into other useful products,” said Heyne.
Bin Yang is the professor behind turning lignin that otherwise would be tossed away into a green alternative. Much of the process is done in his lab.
“I have a thermal process that separates the components, then I put carbohydrates for ethanol production,” said Yang.
With jet fuel only expected to climb higher in price, turning to a much different approach that doesn’t take much time at all will not only help the environment — but will also help the bottom line of airlines and consumers.