The International Energy Agency has reported that widespread deployment of biofuels can play an important role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector and in enhancing energy security. When produced sustainably, biofuels can provide up to 27% of the world’s transportation fuel by 2050.

Working with the National Research Council of Canada and the Department of National Defence, Environment Canada’s Air Quality Research Division recently evaluated the impact of biofuels on the exhaust emissions and performance of an in-use aircraft engine from one of Canada’s Hercules military transport aircrafts.

This on-the-ground test quantified emissions (carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, black carbon, particulate mass, and ultrafine particle number and size distribution) to compare the engine-out environmental benefits of switching from conventional jet fuels to camelina-based fuels on a turboprop engine. Camelina is a plant native to Mediterranean regions, now attracting scientific interest for its potential as a biofuel and biolubricant. Previous measurements from a turbojet engine taken by Environment Canada at simulated altitudes in the National Research Council’s altitude chamber showed that camelina fuel gave comparable gaseous and less particulate emissions.

Contact: Dr. Tak Chan, 613-998-7913, Emissions Research and Measurement

Photo shows the T56 turboprop engine installed on the engine test stand located at 8 Wing Trenton T56 Engine Bay | © EC, T. Chan