Applied Research Associates (ARA), National Research
Council of Canada (NRC), Chevron Lummus Global,
and Agrisoma Biosciences will partner to fly aircraft
powered by 100% alternative jet fuel
Jet fuel that will be used for the flight is derived from new, sustainable
feedstock crops commercialized in Canada
Berlin, Germany – Alternative Aviation Fuels Pavilion – Berlin Air Show – September 12, 2012 – Applied
Research Associates (ARA) and Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) are partnering with the National Research Council
of Canada (NRC), the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and Agrisoma Biosciences Inc., a Canadian
firm with a growing presence in the biofuel feedstock market, to evaluate CLG and ARA’s 100% drop-in
ReadiJet™ Fuel.
ARA and NRC will test the renewable jet fuel against ASTM and military specifications and evaluate the fuel in
ground based engine tests, with the initiative culminating in a test flight with the NRC Falcon-20 twin engine jet.
This flight will be the first time in the world a jet aircraft is powered by 100%, un-blended, renewable jet fuel that
meets petroleum jet fuel specifications. The biofuel, ReadiJet™, was produced by ARA, under contract to AFRL,
from Agrisoma’s Resonance™ feedstock crop using CLG’s and ARA’s breakthrough Biofuel ISOCONVERSION
process.
During the test flight, a second aircraft, the National Research Council’s T33 jet will fly behind the Falcon 20 to
measure the emissions of the engine operating on both the ReadiJet biofuel and on conventional petroleum-based
aviation fuel. Systems onboard the Falcon 20 will allow NRC’s flight research team to switch back and forth
between the two fuel types throughout the flight. These data will be the first of its kind to evaluate biojet fuel
emissions of an aircraft engine operating on 100% biofuel. NRC’s unique expertise will support Agrisoma
Biosciences and CLG/ARA efforts to validate the Resonance-based ReadiJet biofuel as a viable and sustainable
option for the aviation industry.
Resonance™ is a member of the mustard oilseed crop family, and was introduced into commercial production in
Canada in 2012. Agrisoma Biosciences Inc., a long-time NRC partner, commercialized the oilseed to provide the
industry with a sustainable energy feedstock crop: a non-food, industrial oilseed that is well-suited for production in
semi-arid areas, making it ideal for producers who can grow the crops on marginal land. “NRC is helping Agrisoma
complete the value chain for Resonance-based alternative jet fuels,” said Steven Fabijanski, President and CEO of
Agrisoma.
The Biofuel ISOCONVERSION Process is made up of:
• ARA’s Catalytic Hydrothermolysis (CH) process, which mimics nature’s way of converting biomass to
petroleum crude. While nature’s processes take millions of years to produce petroleum crude, it takes
minutes for the CH process to turn plant oils into a high quality crude oil intermediate. The technology is
proven in mature pilot systems. A U.S. patent was granted to ARA in 2010 on the CH process.
• CLG’s ISOCONVERSION™ Catalysts efficiently upgrade the crude oil intermediate produced by the CH
reactor into on-specification, finished fuels. The final products are all fungible and nearly identical to
petroleum derived fuels. ReadiJet™ Fuel is tailored to meet all commercial and military jet fuel
specifications.2
“The integrated ARA/CLG Biofuel ISOCONVERSION process and Agrisoma’s Resonance™ feedstock provide a
pathway for fulfilling the commercial and military markets’ requirements for alternative fuels at parity with
petroleum while spurring opportunities for farmers,” said Chuck Red, ARA’s Alternative Fuels Program Lead. “We
look forward to this partnership with NRC to help us validate the combination of Canadian developed and grown
feedstocks and our processing technology as a leading alternative fuel solution.”
Media Contacts:
Ms. Lori De Amaral Alisa Kinsaul
Chevron Lummus Global Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA)
(510) 242- 3177 (850) 914-3188
LDAM@chevron.com akinsaul@ara.com
More information available at:
www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
www.ara.com/fuels
www.agrisoma.com
About Chevron Lummus Global
CLG licenses refining hydroprocessing technologies and catalyst systems worldwide, and is a 50-50 joint
venture between Chevron Products Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, and Lummus
Technology Inc., a CB&I Company. CLG’s research and development staff is continuously seeking advancements
in catalyst and technology that will improve operating economics. CLG is the leading Process Technology Licensor
for Alternate Sources of Fuels including: Oil Sands Bitumen, Shale Oil, Biofuels, Extra Heavy Oils. For more
information about Chevron Lummus Global please visit
http://www.chevron.com/products/sitelets/refiningtechnology/about_che_tech.aspx
About ARA
ARA is an international research and engineering company recognized for its advanced technical solutions
to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. Founded in Albuquerque, NM in 1979, ARA has
offices throughout the United States and Canada, providing a broad range of technical expertise in defense
technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies,
and testing and measurement. For more information about ARA’s diverse and innovative capabilities, please visit
www.ara.com.
About Agrisoma
Agrisoma Biosciences is a Canadian based agricultural biotechnology company that has commercialized a
sustainable feedstock crop solution for the biofuels industry. Resonance™ Energy Feedstock is a biofuels solution:
a non-food oilseed that is sustainable, with value chain economics that support its scaling to support the biofuels
industry – a “drop-in” crop solution that takes advantage of the power of agriculture to achieve scale and quality.
Resonance™ Energy Feedstock provides an optimized oil for advanced biofuel manufacturing technologies with
significant benefits in fuel manufacturing efficiencies and economics.
www.agrisoma.com
About NRC
The National Research Council (NRC) is the Government of Canada’s premier organization for research
and development. Every year NRC scientists, engineers and business experts work closely with Canadian industry to
take research impacts from the lab to the marketplace. This delivers innovation faster, enhances people’s lives and
addresses some of the world`s most pressing problems. NRC has the people, expertise, services, licensing
opportunities, national facilities and global networks to help Canadian businesses bring new technologies to market.
www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

September 19th, 2012
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: caliche