Instead of going to landfill, food waste could be used to power airplanes in the future.<\/p>\n
Illinois engineers say food waste can be converted into cleaner aviation fuel that can operate without mixing with fossil fuels.<\/p>\n
At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, researchers have developed a process that converts discarded food scraps into clean aviation fuel, potentially solving the problems of both landfill waste and pollution caused by airplanes.<\/p>\n
As reported on Earth.com, the resulting fuel met aviation standards as a standalone option, not just when blended with regular jet fuel.<\/p>\n
Yuanhui Zhang, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is working on this innovative fuel. He explained that the process begins with hydrothermal liquefaction, which uses heat and pressure to convert wet food waste into an oily substance. This substance is then purified using a catalyst and converted into a fuel suitable for jet propulsion.<\/p>\n
Unlike many low-carbon aviation fuels, which can only be used in partial blends, this fuel passed key viscosity and flash point tests, the Illinois team reported. This means it could potentially power a jet engine running on 100% pure fuel.<\/p>\n
This approach aims to simultaneously address two long-standing climate problems: the decomposition of food waste in landfills, which releases the powerful greenhouse gas methane, and the aviation industry, which is one of the most difficult industries to decarbonize.<\/p>\n
Long-haul aircraft still need high-energy liquid fuel because current batteries are still too heavy to make flights cost-effective.<\/p>\n
If this technology becomes widespread, it will allow cities to more efficiently utilize the waste they already pay to dispose of. Instead of ending up in landfill, this waste could become a useful fuel resource.<\/p>\n
The by-product of fuel production was further processed, yielding over 90% of useful acids, recovering over three-quarters of the remaining nutrients, and producing the hydrogen needed for the fuel refining process.<\/p>\n
There may also be financial benefits. More environmentally friendly waste management could reduce landfill pressure, and a more competitive market for clean fuels could help lower fuel costs.<\/p>\n
In the future, cost and climate performance could improve, and the team estimates that cheaper and cleaner electricity could ultimately reduce the fuel price to approximately $3.82 per gallon. Meanwhile, a life-cycle analysis showed that this process could be carbon negative.<\/p>\n
Earth.com has described this system as a "circular bioeconomy" because the output of one stage helps support the next.<\/p>\n
Zhang emphasized that the work is in its early stages, saying, "We're still doing this work on a very small scale.".<\/p>\n
However, he noted that the lab can now produce enough purified fuel for engine testing, with jet engine testing representing the next major step.<\/p>\n
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