Lan Airlines S.A. : LAN Airlines and Air BP Copec mark a milestone in aviation by carrying out the first commercial flight in South America using second generation biofuel
The historic flight took place on March 7 on an Airbus
A320, between the cities of Santiago and Concepcion, and
was attended by the Minister of the Environment, Maria
Ignacia Benitez, and also by the chief executives of LAN
and Copec, who welcomed local authorities and the invited
press.
Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, March 7, 2012.- LAN Airlines
and Air BP Copec made the first commercial flight in South
America using second generation biofuels, demonstrating
their efforts to generate an increasingly sustainable
operation. The flight, which operated between the Chilean
cities of Santiago and Concepcion, was conducted on an
Airbus from the A320 family with CFM56-5B motors. The
fuel came from used vegetable oil refining and met the
strictest technical standards required to fly.
The flight ended with an event held in the city of
Concepcion, which was attended by the Minister of the
Environment, Maria Ignacia Benitez, and LAN and Copec
executives who received local authorities and the invited
press.
Executive Vice President of LAN, Enrique Cueto said:
"This flight represents a key step towards the future
of the industry. At LAN we aim to develop sustainable
biofuels for commercial aircraft with a high production
potential in South America. Currently, these renewable
energy sources play a significant role in global aviation
and will affect, increasingly, decision-making in the
industry and our company. We want to be pioneers in the use
of renewable fuels in South America.
In turn, Lorenzo Gazmuri, general manager of Copec,
emphasized the importance that this landmark has for the
regional aviation and energy industries: "This is the
result of intense work for over a year, a materialization
of the ongoing commitment of Copec to developing and
promoting new and innovative energy solutions. We hope that
in Chile and the region, the desire to promote this
alternative will continue to increase and place it
competitively in the market of aviation fuels in order to
meet the requirements of an increasingly more demanding
society in terms of sustainability".
What are they and what is the technical reliability of
biofuels?
The biofuels used in these flights can be obtained from
plants such as algae, jatropha, camelina and halophytes, or
organic waste such as vegetable oils, which can be
processed, burned directly or converted by chemical
processes to make high quality fuel.
These are known as second generation biofuels. They come
primarily from sustainable raw materials, which in
production do not compete with food sources or basic
resources (limited resources), which is key in the care of
our planet.
For aviation, biofuel meets the strict technical standards
required to fly, and has the same characteristics as the
regular fuel used on flights. In addition, this source has
already been tested successfully by other airlines in the
world, showing the same reliability as aviation kerosene on
both test and commercial flights.
Using second generation biofuel in flight significantly
decreases emissions of greenhouse gases, as no additional
C02 is emitted into the atmosphere.
The environmental manager of LAN, Enrique Guzman, said the
environmental contribution would bring the use of renewable
energy in aviation, would be significant: "Traditional
aviation fuel comes from oil and when used on the plane
releases C02. In the case of using biofuel, the CO2
released is almost the same amount that was captured by the
crop during its growth, meaning that no additional CO2 is
released into the atmosphere", explained Guzman.
Aviation context and the use of biofuels
The airline industry has imposed ambitious environmental
goals regarding the impact of its operations, such as
achieving neutral growth in their emissions by the year
2020 and reducing these emissions by 50% by 2050. To
accomplish this, biofuels are a strategic pillar, which is
why airlines, such as LAN, are working worldwide to
encourage the development of this growing industry.
The airline industry has already reduced its emissions of
greenhouse gases (CO2 per ton transported), by more than
50% in the last 40 years. Still, airlines including LAN
have gone further by implementing efforts to minimize the
maximum impact of its operations.
This alliance between LAN and COPEC seeks to encourage the
development of alternative energies, and thereby generate a
contribution to the economic, environmental and social
development in the region.
Forecasts of the airline industry on biofuels
Globally, according to IATA, a 1% use of biofuels by 2015
and 5% by 2020, is desired. It is a difficult goal to
achieve and requires the coordination of all involved in
the production chain, from the producer of biomass to the
final distributor, including public policies that support
this initiative.
About LAN
LAN Airlines is one of the leading passenger and cargo
airlines in Latin America. The company and its affiliates
serve over 100 destinations around the world through an
extensive network that offers full connectivity within
Latin America, while also linking the region with North
America, Europe and the South Pacific, as well as 70
additional international destinations through its various
code share agreements. LAN Airlines and its
affiliates have a leading position in their respective
domestic markets of Chile and Peru as well as an important
presence in the Argentinean, Ecuadorian and Colombian
domestic markets.
Currently, LAN Airlines and its affiliates operate 134
passenger aircraft while LAN Cargo and its respective
affiliates have a fleet of 14 dedicated freighters. The
Company has one of the youngest fleets in the world which
has meant greater efficiency and a significant reduction in
CO2 emissions, reflecting its strong commitment to the
protection of the environment.
LAN is one of the few Investment Grade airlines in the
world (BBB). The company's world class quality
standards enabled its membership in oneworld™, an alliance
of leading global airlines of which LAN has been a member
for 10 years. For more information please visit
www.lan.com or www.oneworldalliance.com.
About Air BP
Air BP Copec, a Joint Venture between Copec and Air BP, was
formed in Jan 12th 2001. The company main objective is to
supply fuel for the commercial and general aviation
businesses in Chile aligned with the best health, safety
and environment principles. Air BP Copec currently is the
major fuel supplier in the Chilean Aviation market working
with the main domestic and international airlines. The
company operates 9 airports sites in the country selling
Jet A1 and Avgas.
LATAM Airlines Group SA is a Chile-based company, which is engaged in passenger and cargo air transportation, both in the domestic markets of Chile, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil and in a developed series of regional and international routes in America, Europe and Oceania. These businesses are performed directly or through its subsidiaries in different countries. It operates through two segments: the Air transportation business and the Coalition and loyalty program Multiplus. It Air transportation segment corresponds to the route network for air transport. Its segment of Coalition and loyalty program called Multiplus is a frequent flyer programs, which operate as a unilateral system of loyalty that offers a flexible coalition system. The Company operates a fleet of over 329 aircrafts. Its passenger aircrafts include Airbus A319-100, Airbus A350-900, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 777-300ER.
Lan Airlines S.A. : LAN Airlines and Air BP Copec mark a milestone in aviation by carrying out the first commercial flight in South America using second generation biofuel