Rolls-Royce business jet engine goes green

News

A blend of 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has been tested on a Rolls-Royce business jet engine for the first time.

SAF is produced using renewable feedstocks such as cooking oil, animal fats, non-edible plants and agricultural waste and is claimed to dramatically reduce lifecycle fuel emissions compared to petroleum-derived jet fuel. However, current regulations dictate that planes are not permitted to fly with anything higher than a 50/50 blend of SAF and conventional fuel, and extensive ground testing will be required in order to certify higher blends.

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This latest test took place at Rolls-Royce Deutschland’s HQ in Dahlewitz on the southern outskirts of Berlin, and featured a Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 operating on a 100 per cent SAF.

The fuel was produced by low-carbon specialist World Energy in Paramount, California, sourced by Shell Aviation and delivered by SkyNRG.

According to Rolls-Royce, this unblended fuel has the potential to reduce net CO2 lifecycle emissions by over 75 per cent compared to conventional jet fuel, with the possibility of further reductions in the future.

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