SpiceJet to undertake operations using ATF-BioJet fuel blend

Potential to Reduce Dependence on Traditional Aviation Fuel by 50%

Indian budget carrier SpiceJet, operated “India’s first ever biojet fuel flight” yesterday in a 43-minute flight from Dehradun to Delhi. SpiceJet used its Bombardier Q400 aircraft for this flight.

The company intends to undertake operations using a blend of 75% of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and 25% of BioJet fuel.

SpiceJet’s Bombardier Q400 aircraft that used BioJet Fuel on the Dehradun-Delhi route | Source: Spicejet

The BioJet fuel, made from Jatropha crop, has been developed by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), one of the constituent laboratories of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research based in Dehradun. “This fuel has been recognised by American Standard Testing Method (ASTM) and meets the specification standards of Pratt & Whitney and Bombardier for commercial application in aircraft,” Spicejet indicated in a statement.

“SpiceJet is delighted to operate the first BioJet fuel flight in India. This fuel is low cost and helps in significantly reducing carbon emissions. It has the potential to reduce our dependence on traditional Aviation Fuel by up to 50% on every flight and bring down fares. India is the fastest growing aviation market in the world today and it is our responsibility to grow using clean and sustainable technologies,” said Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing

Director, SpiceJet.

Its rival airline, IndiGo is reported to have toyed with the idea of using biofuel to power some of its fleet circa 2013, however the plan was shelved.

Spicejet’s use of the ATF-Biojet fuel blend is expected to reduce carbon footprint by 15 percent.

The genesis of this development goes back to an Indo-Canadian consortium project from 2010 to 2013 involving CSIR-IIP, Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, IIT Kanpur and IISc Bangalore, in which research was directed towards the production of Bio-aviation fuel by CSIR-IIP from jatropha oil and its evaluation under various conditions, culminating in a detailed engine test by Pratt and Whitney in Canada.

Chhattisgarh Biofuel Development Authority- the supplier of the jatropha oil for the flight, sourced the crop from over 500 farmers.

According to IATA, aviation industry contributes to 2% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the world which will rise as the aviation industry is expanding. IATA has set a target for one billion passengers to fly on aircraft using a mix of clean energy and fossil fuels by 2025.

IATA has set targets to mitigate carbon emissions from air transport — an average improvement in fuel efficiency of 1.5% per year from 2009 to 2020, a cap on net aviation carbon emissions from 2020 (carbon-neutral growth) and a reduction in net aviation carbon emissions of 50% by 2050, relative to 2005 levels.

SpiceJet currently operates 412 average daily flights to 55 destinations, including 48 domestic and 7 international ones. The airline connects its network with a fleet of 36 Boeing 737NG and 22 Bombardier Q-400s.

Last year, SpiceJet placed an order for 205 Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The Max planes are expected to reduce fuel consumption by about 15%. The winglets in these aircrafts help reduce drag and further enhances fuel efficiency. The new Max fleet has a 40% lesser noise footprint. The new fleet will feature lightweight titanium seats (Expliseat TiSeat E2), that is expected to save 22,000 tonnes of fuel each year. “With these initiatives SpiceJet will be much ahead of IATA target of 2020 and 2025,” the company said in a statement.

The airline highlighted its other initiatives that can lead to more green miles. It has started using new food packaging which will reduce its dependence on plastic. It will make use of reusable and recyclable trays instead of the existing packaging.

At Dehradun, the SpiceJet fight was flagged off by Trivendra Singh Rawat — Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. The flight landed in Delhi in the presence of Nitin Jairam Gadkari — Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation; Suresh Prabhu –Minister of Commerce and the Industry, Civil Aviation; Dharmendra Pradhan — Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Dr. Harsh Vardhan — Union Minister for Science & technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change; Jayant Sinha — Minister of State for Civil Aviation; Ajay Singh — Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet and senior government and aviation officials.

Policy and regulatory support was provided by the MOPNG Working Group on Biofuels and the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Nitin Gadkari said that a cabinet note would soon be moved to come out with a special policy on the use of biofuel in the aviation sector.