Boeing has announced it is joining with Honeywell's UOP to commission a study led by the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, on the sustainability of a leading family of saltwater-based plant candidates for renewable jet fuel.

The study is being commissioned as part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group consortium.

The study will examine the overall potential for sustainable, large-scale production of biofuels made from salicornia bigelovii and saltwater mangroves - plants known as halophytes. Yale University's School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and UOP will also participate in the analysis, which will include an assessment of the total carbon lifecycle of biofuels.

Halophytes can be highly productive sources of biomass energy, thrive in arid land and can be irrigated with sea water, making them suitable for biofuel development. Abu Dhabi is a viable location for conducting a lifecycle-analysis study. With improved plant science and agronomy, early testing results indicate that halophytes have the potential to deliver very high yields per unit of land.

The Government of Abu Dhabi founded the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology to research and develop alternative energy and sustainable technologies. The institute is an independent, non-profit, research-driven graduate institution established with the support and cooperation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The halophyte study will evaluate aquaculture management and practices, land use and energy requirements and identify any potential adverse ecological or social impacts associated with using halophytes for energy development, specifically for aviation biofuel development.

A successful outcome of the study will give the Masdar Initiative an opportunity to expand its portfolio of renewable energy technologies into biofuels that are sustainable and can be grown locally, Dr Sgouris Sgouridis of the Masdar Institute said. The Masdar Initiative aims to create and sustain the world's first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city, Masdar City, located on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.

"Masdar City will have access to important production of locally grown food and thus reduce its dependence on carbon-intensive imports," Sgouridis said.

Sustainable biofuel development is a key component of aviation's strategy for lowering carbon emissions. Potential plant sources being considered are only ones that don"t distort the global food-chain, compete with fresh water resources or lead to unintended land use change. To verify data gathered during the analysis, the halophyte study will be peer-reviewed by third parties and measured against practices and principles developed by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels. The results are expected to be available in late 2010.