Alternative Jet Fuels Get $20.9 Million Boost in Russian Tender

Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry has offered 628 million rubles ($20.9 million) to develop alternative fuels for civil aviation, according to a tender issued on a state website.

The tender, announced Jan. 31, is for developing cryogenic fuels and biofuels for use in aircraft in order to reduce emissions and the impact of climate change. It also calls for studying the use of natural gas and alternative energy sources, including solar power, microwaves and lasers, in aviation.

Russia, the world’s biggest hydrocarbons producer, has lagged behind efforts in the U.S. and Europe to develop renewable fuels for airlines. ASTM International, an American organization that sets worldwide technical standards for the airlines, in July 2011 approved fuels that include a mix of kerosene and organic waste.

The winner of the Russian contest will be selected in March and is expected to present the study’s results in 2015, according to the ministry’s tender documents.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jake Rudnitsky in Moscow at jrudnitsky@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephen Voss at sev@bloomberg.net