With this, the company has fulfilled the contract, which the US Department of Defense (DoD) gave to the company in September 2009 with the objective of operating at least 50% of its fleet comprising of planes, ships, tanks and trucks on renewable fuel by 2020.
The algal-based jet fuel called Solajet HRJ-5 has been developed by Solazyme by combining its proprietary fermentation process with renewable jet fuel processing technology from Honeywell’s UOP.
The fuel, which underwent a testing process at an independent testing laboratory prior to delivery to the Navy, met all of the Navy’s 19 requirements for renewable hydrotreated jet fuel.
Through the use of this renewable fuel which is claimed to provide an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels, DoD is expected reduce its carbon footprint, minimize reliance on foreign oil and combat global climate change.
In addition, the fuel also meets the proposed ASTM D 7566 specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels containing synthesized hydrocarbons, an essential element for providing fuels for the military and also for the civilian market.
Jonathan Wolfson, CEO of Solazyme, said: “It has been an honor to work with both the Navy and DESC/DLA to provide the first microbial derived advanced biojet fuel that will aid the military’s transition away from fossil fuel and toward more secure, renewable and reliable sources.”
