A Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Photo / Supplied.
A Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Photo / Supplied.
The world's first dedicated biofuel flight between the United States and Australia — using mustard seed in a Qantas Dreamliner — is scheduled to land in Melbourne around lunch time.
The flight, QF96 from Los Angeles to the Victorian capital, will use about 24,000kg of blended biofuel, saving 18,000kgin carbon emissions during the 15-hour journey.
A successful flight will mark a milestone in the search for sustainable biofuel that is compatible with standard jet fuel and can be produced in sufficient volumes to meet worldwide demand of more than 600,000 tonnes a day.
The biofuel used on the Qantas flight is processed from Brassica Carinata, a non-food, industrial type of mustard seed, developed by Canadian-based agricultural-technology company Agrisoma Biosciences.
The flight is part of the partnership announced in 2017 which will also result in the company's work with Australian farmers to grow the country's first commercial aviation biofuel seed crop by 2020.
Qantas International chief executive Alison Webster said the partnership with Agrisoma was a big step in the development of a renewable jetfuel industry in Australia.
''It is a project we are really proud to be part of as we look at ways to reduce carbon emissions across our operations."
Across its lifecycle, using Carinata-derived biofuel could reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent compared to traditional kerosene-based jet fuel.
The 10 per cent biofuel blend used on today's flight will result in a 7 per cent reduction in emissions on this route compared to normal operations.
Carinita requires no specialised production or processing techniques. It is water efficient and University of Queensland field trials in Queensland, and South Australia, have demonstrated it should do ''very well'' in the Australian climate.
It is sown in either fallow areas where food crops fail or in between regular crop cycles, known as "cover cropping". Rotational or break-crops can improve soil quality, reduce erosion for food crops and provide farmers with additional income.
Agrisoma chief executive Steve Fabijanski said biofuel produced from Carinata provides wide ranging benefits.
"Biojet fuel made from Carinata delivers both oil for biofuel and protein for animal nutrition while also enhancing the soil its grown in,'' he said.
"We are excited about the potential of the crop in Australia and look forward to working with local farmers and Qantas to develop a clean energy source for the local aviation industry."
