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Senate halts effort to cap CO2 emissions
The Wall Street Journal
Senate Democratic leaders shelved their effort to cap greenhouse-gas emissions as part of a broad energy bill, putting aside indefinitely a centerpiece of President Barack Obama's ambitious effort to transform the way Americans produce and consume energy. The proposal would have allowed utilities to trade permits to pollute as they worked to shift away from coal — a concept commonly called "cap and trade." More
Reid's energy bill delayed until next week
The Wall Street Journal
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is keeping much of Washington — and the business community — in suspense over what will be in his energy bill. Reid announced the broad outlines of the bill last week, but has yet to publish the text. It looks like the wait will go on a little longer. Reid spokesman Jim Manley announced that the Nevada Democrat expects to release the text of his proposal Tuesday, saying the Congressional Budget Office needs more time to assess the legislation’s impact on the federal budget. More
AEA Group wins air quality research contract
Flightglobal
Five U.S. airports will take part in a study to determine the effect alternative fuels could have on airport emissions, under a new agreement between energy and climate change consultancy AEA Group and the U.S. Transportation Research Board. AEA's Dr. Hazel Peace says the study will focus on fine particulate matter in the air surrounding the five airports, which have yet to be named. "We will look at the impact of alternative fuels in terms of how they reduce fine particulate emissions," says Peace. More
Exploring algae as fuel
The New York Times
In a laboratory where almost all the test tubes look green, the tools of modern biotechnology are being applied to lowly pond scum. Foreign genes are being spliced into algae and native genes are being tweaked, The New York Times's Andrew Pollack writes. Different strains of algae are pitted against one another in survival-of-the-fittest contests in an effort to accelerate the evolution of fast-growing, hardy strains. The goal is nothing less than to create superalgae, highly efficient at converting sunlight and carbon dioxide into lipids and oils that can be sent to a refinery and made into diesel or jet fuel. More
Boeing: Commercial Airlines may get 1 percent of fuel from biofuels by 2015
Bloomberg
Commercial airlines may derive 1 percent of their fuel by 2015 from biofuels made of plants including algae, Boeing Co.'s environment chief said. Carriers including British Airways Plc and Continental Airlines Inc.. are testing the carbon-cutting alternative fuels as the global air industry accelerates efforts to slash greenhouse-gases blamed for global warming. More
Aviation industry's drive for fuel economy spurs progress in cockpit technology
The Associated Press via The Chicago Tribune
Flying over the white cliffs of Dover, the two pilots of a Gulfstream 450 jet keep their eyes glued to a flight-deck display, ignoring the almost cloudless sky over the southern coast of England on their descent to a nearby runway. Honeywell International Inc. pilot John Tuten and his co-pilot Paul Mrocka are testing what the U.S. aviation company calls the "cockpit of the future" — designed not just to improve safety but to boost fuel efficiency as well. The new cockpit does that by aiding pilot vision, enabling a straighter, shorter path and less time burning fuel. More
British Airways, Bombardier announce biofuel plans at Farnborough in the United Kingdom
Environmental Leader
British Airways has signed an agreement with Solena Group to help build Europe's first biofuel plant, amid plans to begin using the fuel in its fleet starting in 2014, according to a Dow Jones Report. … Also at Farnborough, U.K., Bombardier Aerospace announced plans to fly a Q400 aircraft using fuel from an oilseed crop as part of a new biofuel test program. The program objective is to optimize production and establish performance standards for refined camelina oil as a drop-in replacement for jet fuel that fits with the current refining and distribution infrastructure and with existing engines. More
Alaska operates 737-700 RNP demonstration flight, tests Sea-Tac approaches
ATW Online
Alaska Airlines said it flew a 737-700 recently on a test flight over Puget Sound using RNP guidance and demonstrated eight continuous descent approaches into Seattle-Tacoma, reducing carbon dioxide emissions "by 35 percent compared to a conventional landing." The test flight was conducted in conjunction with the Port of Seattle, Boeing and FAA. More
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