Boeing, China cooperate to turn "gutter oil" into biofuel

A lab researcher inspects biofuel made from waste cooking oil in Wenzhou Zhongke New Energy Technology in East China's Zhejiang province in this Oct 23, 2013 file photo. [Photo/CFP]

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BEIJING - Boeing and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) opened a demonstration facility that will turn waste cooking oil, or "gutter oil," into sustainable aviation biofuel on Wednesday.

Boeing and COMAC are sponsoring the China-US Aviation Biofuel Pilot Project, using technology developed by Hangzhou Energy & Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. to clean contaminants from waste oils and convert it into jet fuel at a rate of 650 liters (160 gallons) per day, according to a statement from Boeing.

The two companies estimate that 1.8 billion liters of biofuel could be made annually from used cooking oil in China.

"Strong and continuing teamwork between Boeing and COMAC is helping our industry make progress on environmental challenges that no single company or country can solve alone," said Ian Thomas, president of Boeing China.

Sustainably produced biofuel, which reduces carbon emissions by 50 to 80 percent compared to petroleum through its life cycle, is expected to play a key role in supporting aviation's growth while meeting environmental goals.