Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative report announced on June 27 in Chicago

CHICAGO, 2013-07-01 — /travelprnews.com/ — Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino joined with leaders from United Airlines, Boeing, Honeywell’s UOP and Clean Energy Trust on June 27 in Chicago to announce the release of a new report by the Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative (MASBI).

With the findings and recommendations in the MASBI report, the commercial aviation industry has a clear path toward cleaner, more economical and more secure energy alternatives through the increased use of advanced biofuels developed in the Midwest. Visit www.masbi.org to download the full report and executive summary.

MASBI Steering Group
MASBI Steering Group: (L to R) Billy Glover, Boeing; Amy Francetic, Clean Energy Trust; Jimmy Samartzis, United; Jim Rekoske, UOP Honeywell; and Rosemarie Andolino, Chicago Department of Aviation.

The MASBI summit was attended by aviation and energy experts, biofuel developers, environmental organizations, government officials and research institutions. The event included speakers from the all of the organizations named above as well as the U.S. Navy, U.S.D.A., Oliver Wyman, LanzaTech and Argonne National Laboratory. The speakers discussed a range of topics related to the advancement of sustainable biofuels, including its importance to the aviation industry, national security, and economic development of rural America.

Tom Hicks
Tom Hicks, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Navy discussed the importance of biofuels from a national security perspective and how the Navy is a customer for the industry.

The report released on June 27 follows a yearlong analysis of the benefits that could be delivered from a robust sustainable aviation biofuels industry in the Midwest. MASBI is a coalition led by United Airlines, Boeing, Honeywell’s UOP, the CDA and the Clean Energy Trust, along with an Advisory Council of more than 40 public and private organizations, chaired by Argonne National Laboratory. MASBI strategy and program management support was provided by Oliver Wyman, a global leader in management consulting with recognized expertise in energy and aviation. In addition to endorsing the report’s recommendations, several individual MASBI members made new commitments to help secure a robust future for biofuels.

Noting the progress made in developing biofuels, including its use on more than 1,500 commercial aviation flights globally, the coalition agreed that more must be done to achieve the sustainable production of commercial-scale and cost-competitive advanced biofuels from sources such as non-food crops and waste products.

“We’ve been developing a new industry – one that has the ability to reduce carbon emissions, create green jobs, drive innovation in clean technology and bolster the successful future of the airline industry which is vital to communities all around the world,” said Jimmy Samartzis, managing director of global environmental affairs and sustainability for United Airlines. “We need to focus on this today, so that we can have these options tomorrow as we build a more sustainable future.”

MASBI Panel
Commissioner Andolino discussed the findings and recommendations of the MASBI Logistics and Infrastructure Working Group.

Commissioner Andolino also announced that the CDA and United Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding to initiate a cooperative effort towards identifying opportunities to develop advanced alternative fuels for aviation use with a particular focus on converting waste streams in the Chicago area into lower-carbon aviation fuel.

“On behalf of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City of Chicago, the CDA is truly proud to be a part of MASBI, and we are so impressed by the rich expertise that all of you have contributed to the effort,” said Andolino. “Overall, the findings of our Logistics and Infrastructure working group were incredibly promising in terms of the Midwest’s ability to adopt aviation biofuels into its existing supply chain.”

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Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative report announced on June 27 in Chicago

Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative report announced on June 27 in Chicago