Assessment of usage of biofuel in aviation industry in Malaysia

Abstract

The current scenario of greenhouse gasses emissions is witnessing major impetus as a result of the ever expanding transportation sector across the globe, of which the aviation sector has played a major role. The Malaysian transportation sector, specifically the aviation sector, has a poor record of high carbon emissions, inspite of its history of biofuel and sustainable fuel policy. However, researchers around the globe are now diverting their attention from the conventional fossil fuels to biofuels, because it is cheaper to produce, increases the efficiency of the aircrafts and also reduces the environmental threat fossil fuel emissions pose to the planet. Alternative fuels like bioethanol and biodiesels are increasingly used in aviation industry, as a direct consequence of the global targets set by the International Air Transport Association. In the present study, the possibility of increased biofuel by the aviation industry of Malaysia is analyzed with specific focus on the global initiatives taken for the same, as well as the past and current trends of Malaysia's general biofuel production and consumption. It has been estimated that the use of alternative fuels in aviation industry could reduce the flight related greenhouse gas emission by approximately 60 to 80 %. The recent trials that have been conducted on the importance of biofuels in aviation industry have indicated that these fuels are technically feasible. In this respect, the European community in conjunction with private airline companies and major biofuels producers in their area have played a very prominent role in commercializing the use of biofuels in air transport. But in Malaysia to see biofuels as anything other than their consumption in the food and healthcare industry is still a debatable topic. By addressing these research gaps, this paper focuses on the possibility of manufacturing biofuel products at a commercial scale in Malaysia to be used in the aviation industry to power jet engines in commercial aviation and for reduced carbon emission for increased sustainability of the environment.