Air Canada to participate in NRC biofuels contrail and emissions project

Air Canada is teaming with the National Research Council to undertake a project examining the benefits of biofuel use on contrails —clouds formed when water vapor condenses and freezes around small particles in aircraft exhaust. The project involves five biofuel flights operated by Air Canada and followed by a 1960s-era T-33 Canadair research jet equipped with sensors to sample and test the contrail biofuel emissions. Several companies and organizations are involved in the project — entitled Civil Aviation Alternative Fuel Contrail and Emissions Research — including primary project funder GARDN (Green Aviation Research and Development Network), Boeing, biofuel supplier SkyNRG, the Univ of Alberta and the Waterfall Group which specializes in developing policy and strategy for bio-diesel and bio-energy projects. Air Canada is currently receiving an order of 37 Boeing 787 Dreamline aircraft and will start to receive up to 79 Boeing 737 Max aircraft later this year. Between 1990 and 2016, the firm has improved fuel efficiency of its aircraft by 40% and has endorsed targets set by the International Air Transport Association to reduce CO2 emissions 50% over 2005 levels by 2050.