São José dos Campos - SP, May 12, 2014 – Embraer and Boeing have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for creating a joint biofuels research center for the purpose of developing and maturing the knowledge and technologies that make it possible to establish a sustainable biofuels chain for aviation. The Center shall be installed in the Technological Park of São José dos Campos.
“Embraer is committed in supporting the development of sustainable biofuels for aviation and the joint efforts with Boeing will undoubtedly contribute to the company continuing to be in the forefront of research in this area,” says Mauro Kern, Executive Vice President, Engineering and Technology, Embraer. “Brazil has tradition in the area of alternative fuels and enormous potential yet to be explored in bioenergy research.”
“Boeing is working aggressively around the world to expand the supply of sustainable aviation biofuel and reduce aviation’s carbon emissions,” said Julie Felgar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes managing director of Environmental Strategy and Integration. “With our joint biofuel research center, Boeing and Embraer are making a strong commitment toward a successful, sustainable aviation biofuel industry in Brazil.”
“Boeing and Embraer have a tremendous opportunity to work together to enhance Brazil’s aviation biofuel capabilities, as well as the global industry’s access to aviation biofuel,” said Al Bryant, vice president, Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil.
The project shall now be structured via a Collaboration Agreement between the two companies. Provision has also been made for the possibility of other companies and institutions taking part in the Research and Development activities.
History – The aerospace industry took up the commitment to reduce its environmental impact and established ambitious goals for achieving neutral carbon growth by 2020 and for cutting carbon dioxide emissions in half by 2050, compared to the emission levels of 2005. Today, the industry generates approximately 2% of the Earth’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Several initiatives are under development, including in Brazil, in order to produce a biofuel for aviation that is economically feasible and that meets strict aerospace demands.
One of those initiatives was the demonstration of the technical feasibility of a biofuel produced from sugarcane, which was shown in a test flight with an Embraer 195, during Rio+20, in 2012.
In 2011, a partnership between Embraer, Boeing and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP) began investigations that culminated in the launch of the Flight Plan for Aviation Biofuels in Brazil: Action Plan, last year, which indicates the main paths to be taken for developing a solid and sustainable biofuel industry for the aviation sector in Brazil.
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