Technical and Ethical Feasibility of Efforts in Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel - Coursework Example

Sustainable Aviation Contents Contents 2 Introduction 3 Sustainable Fuel for Aircraft Engines 3 Technical and Ethical Feasibility of Efforts in Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel 4 Critical Evaluation of the Research that Determines the Feasibility 6 Conclusion 8 References 10 Introduction The fuel used for the aircrafts like kerosene and others are often complained of emitting harmful gases like Nitrogen Dioxide into the atmosphere thus leading to an increase of air pollution in and around the regions surrounding the airports. It was however found that reduction of the combustion capacity of the engines led to the increased emission of Greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide into the air. Scientists and environmentalists around the world are endeavouring to find means for deriving a sustainable fuel source for the aircraft engines which in turn would reduce the atmospheric pollution (Azapagic and Perdan, 2011, Ch. 15). However it is often held that the endeavour to produce a sustainable fuel for the aeroplanes is not feasible in the technical and ethical sense. It is observed that most of the efforts conducted to produce a sustainable fuel often does not confirm the carbon footprint test and also happens to render increased stress on the engines thus hampering its productivity (Daggett et al., 2007, p.1). Hence the above efforts to produce a sustainable aircraft fuel suffer from lack of technical and ethical feasibility. Sustainable Fuel for Aircraft Engines The term sustainability refers to protecting or sustaining the environment in order to meet the needs of the present population without compromising on the needs of the future generation. Sustainability thus concerns a holistic network of environmental, social and economic policies aimed at sustaining the scarce resources. These policies must be measureable and again must also be lend for evaluation to help it met the demand of different periods (Wohlmeyer and Quendler, 2002, p.198). Aviation fuel has long depended on products like kerosene to help ignite the motor engines. However the practice is found to have contributed largely to the polluting of the atmosphere through the emission of large volumes of nitrogen dioxide. Thus to reduce the content of greenhouses gases and other harmful gases into the atmosphere the need for a sustainable fuel resource is greatly emphasized. Research unto generating a feasible sustainable fuel for the aeroplanes is under process with introduction of fuels generated from biomass or fuelling of liquid hydrogen into the air engines. The research of generating a sustainable fuel source for aircraft engines is gaining patronage from many nations owing to its help in protection of fossil resources and the atmosphere from being polluted (Evans, 2007, p.162). Sustainable fuel generation for aircraft engines appears to be the new challenge for it signifies taking resort to alternative sources of fuel other than that related to diesel, petrol and kerosene. Production of alternative sources of fuel can be conducted through the use of biomasses derived from large amounts of bio waste products and algae masses. Again use of liquid hydrogen and other cryogenic materials like use of ethane and methane gases in the liquid state is also being recommended for the fuel generation of aircraft engines. Thus the use of considerable amount of biomass and cryogenic liquids for the production of aircraft engine fuel is considered a sustainable means for generation of aircraft fuel. Use of such energy resources are observed to help in reducing the combustion temperature of the engines which in turn led to the production of low or no amounts of carbon dioxide. Further research is enabled to derive natural gases from both natural bio mass and other synthetic sources with also enhancing the dependence on gases like Ethane derived from natural gases for production of sustainable fuel for aircraft engines (Daggett et al., 2007, p.1). Technical and Ethical Feasibility of Efforts in Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel The current aviation fuel which is used is either the spirit derived from petroleum resources or other gasoline products. The gasoline products used for aviation fuel is observed to be free of lead content or may be containing lead in very less amounts which helps in rendering less amount of pollutants into the atmosphere. Other recent aviation fuels contain of Jet Fuels of category A and B. The category A Jet Fuel is composed of Lead Free Kerosene Fuel while category B is composed of Kerosene mixed with Naptha. However the Jet A category fuel suffers from a serious back draw for having a very high freezing temperature. It is observed that the fuel freezes only at a temperature of -40 degree centigrade making it unfit for use in aircrafts (Williams, 2008, p.544). The determination of technical feasibility of the alternative sources of aircraft fuel can be observed by analysing the different sustainable fuels like fuels derived from synthetic sources and others derived from biomasses. Fuels derived from synthetic sources are considered technically feasible for being free of sulphur emissions and also in helping in the stability of heat of the engines. Thus such fuels are increasingly recommended for fighter aircrafts. Ethically this fuel resource is also feasible for it helps in the lessening of harmful pollutants like sulphur in the atmosphere making it healthy for the living beings to breathe. However negative impacts can also be studied in regards to the use of synthetic fuels for aircrafts. Technical problems like problem in lubrication and considerable leakage is observed in regards to the use of such alternative fuel. Again the use of such is not considered feasible enough for it is found that manufacturing process of the same amounts to the spreading of large volumes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Hence effort in generation of synthetic fuel for airplanes though considered feasible in the first stage appears to present big problems regarding its use and manufacture. Again the technical and ethical feasibility for the production of fuels generated from biomasses can also be questioned. It is found that technically the fuel generated from biomass initially failed to freeze at normal cruising operations leading to the many problems. Another major technical challenge reflected through the use of fuels generated from biomass was that it failed to stabilise the temperature of the engines of jet planes making it unsuitable for use. Henceforth larger amount of research and production cost needs to be generated for making such bio-fuel technically feasible for which the above effort to produce such fuel fails the feasibility test. Ethically also such extended production activities taken for manufacture of bio-fuels counts observation. It is because large amount of food crops like soybeans, corn and other rapeseeds varieties all help in the production of alternative fuel derived from biomass. Thus this counters an ethical problem for it limits the availability of food crops to human and other living beings (Daggett et al., 2007, p.3-5). Critical Evaluation of the Research that Determines the Feasibility The main aim of the paper is to critically evaluate the research propaganda which states that efforts made in production of sustainable energy fuels for aircrafts are not ethically and technically feasible. Thus in regards to the inception of the critical evaluation of the research it is found that research teams pertaining to Massachusetts Institute of Technology state that the quality of bio-mass selected for the production of fuels needs to pass the test of carbon footprint. It is found that while producing different bio-masses like soybeans, palm seeds and other varieties of rapeseeds the type of land use must be properly checked. Inference was drawn that the use of Palm seeds for the production of bio-fuels amounted to larger amount of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere than Soybeans. Again it was inferred that endeavour to produce sustainable fuel from such bio-masses tended to increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in that they were produced in regions bordering or inside rainforests. Thus it is mentioned that bio-masses like Palm seeds and other varieties need to be taken from such rainforest areas which have been cleared up previously. Henceforth it is observed that efforts into the production of sustainable fuel for aircrafts come under the ethical feasibility question for its contribution to the emission of carbon dioxide gases. Revision of efforts regarding the production of such fuel is considered based on use of materials like Jatropha which also helps to produce by products during the manufacturing process. Such by products gained from the manufacture of airline fuel from the raw material can also be used for the creation of energy power also considered an alternative or sustainable energy form. Again the use of Algae in large numbers is also recommended for the production of sustainable energy fuel for airlines. Critical evaluation made of the statement made shows that it holds stand in the light of recommending a carbon footprint to be conducted before issuance of the materials for production of airline fuel (GreenAir Communications, 2011). However on the other side the production of sustainable fuel for airline engines counts credit for it proves advantageous to the country. Firstly it helps the government of the country to help take action to conserve the natural resources and fossil fuels. Secondly the production of renewable energy fuel also helps the country restrict the flow of money to other nations for gaining of petrol and other airline fuels (GreenAir Communications-a, 2011). It is observed that in cases for the production of synthetic fuels like Ethanol whether in Bio mode or in Cellulose mode questions of both technical and ethical feasibility rises. It is found that production and use of ethanol in Bio mode contributes to the mass corrosion of engine components. It is because the use of alcoholic substances is found to cause larger corrosion than normal fuel. Again another technical problem related to the production and use of ethanol in bio mode is its latent feature of getting vaporised for which its usage counters problem during winter season. Researchers comment that ethanol produced from cellulosic material is considered to be a better substitute to the production of ethanol from bio materials. It is because firstly it helps in the production of more renewable energy than the latter and also helps in the reduction of emission levels of greenhouse gases. Thus the research statement holds good from airline fuel derived from ethanol production from corn both in terms of ethical and technical level. Another ethical perspective argued by the researchers on the production of ethanol from corn is that it requires to be harvested on the same agricultural land which is meant for the production of food crops for living beings. Ethically the above statement appears to be wrong. However again a counter argument rendered shows that ethanol produced from bio masses would help reduce the dependency of human beings on fossil resources. It would also help in the creation of large number of manufacturing plants recruiting large number of people thus helping in the advancement of jobs. Hence counter ethics demand its production in large amounts. On the point of technical feasibility it is found that the production of ethanol from cellulose material requires larger amount of energy inputs than that when produced from corn. However to counter the above fact it is also found that return of energy gained from the input made counts higher for ethanol produced from cellulose than that when produced from corn with 162 and 151 percent respectively (Ethical Solution, 2007, p.5,7,9). Other types of sustainable fuel resources consist of liquid hydrogen gas. This fuel is considered feasible owing to its technical reasons of being lighter than kerosene fuel. However use of such fuel renders further caution owing to its highly inflammable characteristic. In terms of ethical feasibility such gas can be used in a determined fashion for it greatly helps in the reduction of pollutants in the atmosphere like carbon and nitrogen dioxide. Technically however this fuel is observed to emit more amount of water vapour into the atmosphere than the other fuels (Makhijani, 2007, p.87). Conclusion Sustainable energy resources are in huge demand in the current and future periods of time owing to the continual building pressure on the fossil fuels. For the production of aviation fuel the best possible petrol, diesel and kerosene are utilised which in turn renders a much elevated pressure on the fossil fuels present. Thus production and use of sustainable fuels is recommended by experts. However it is found that manufacture of such sustainable fuel from both natural and synthetic sources counters problem both on the technical and ethical paradigm which needs to be solved to render enhanced effectiveness to the production of such. Though the discovery of sustainable fuel resources have led to lowering of pressure on the expanded use of fossil resources and in making the nation independent yet the above research conveys that efforts in production of such lack both technical and ethical feasibility. Thus proper research efforts must be carried out in making the developed fuel really sustainable in its use. References Azapagic, A., and Perdan, S. (2011). Sustainable Development in Practice: Case Studies for Engineers and Scientists. John Wiley & Sons. Evans, R. (2007). Fueling our future: an introduction to sustainable energy. Cambridge University Press. GreenAir Communications. (2011). MIT analysis emphasises the large variability in greenhouse gas emissions from jet biofuel production. [Online].Available At: http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=1240. [Accessed on October 12, 2011]. GreenAir Communications-a. (2011). Diverse feedstocks and government support required to meet aviation biofuels demand, says US Northwest report. [Online]. Available At: http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=1253. [Accessed on October 12, 2011]. Daggett, D.L., et al. (2007). Alternate Fuels for Use in Commercial Aircraft. [Pdf]. The Boeing Company. Available At: http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/student/02_Alternative_Fuels_Commercial_Aircraft.pdf. [Accessed on October 12, 2011]. Ethical Solutions. (2007). Bioethanol-Fuel or Fancy? [Pdf]. Available At: http://www.glasu.org.uk/en/uploads/documents/BioEthanol%20-%20Fuel%20or%20Fancy.pdf. [Accessed on October 12, 2011]. Makhijani, A. (2007). Carbon-free and nuclear-free: a roadmap for U.S. energy policy. RDR Books. Williams, M. (2008). Fuel Cell Seminar 2007. The Electrochemical Society. Wohlmeyer, H., and Quendler, T. (2002). The WTO, agriculture and sustainable development. Greenleaf Publishing. Read More