Alitalia and the Solena Group have signed a letter of intent to initiate a study on the feasibility of the construction of a plant capable of converting municipal solid waste in a significant portion of the jet fuel needed by the
Alitalia aircraft fleet, thus ensuring the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and provide a stable supply of fuel.
The agreement between Alitalia and Solena Group is part of the program called Green Sky
which has already seen Solena Group cooperate with British Airways for the conversion of municipal solid waste of the London metropolitan area into jet fuel for aircraft operating at Heathrow. (Earlier post.)
The study is aimed at assessing the feasibility of implementing a system for the conversion of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of municipal solid waste (mixed biomasses) via gasification and Fischer-Tropsch conversion into aircraft biofuel, in order to meet part of Alitalia’s fuel needs, reducing the consumption of conventional jet fuel and as a consequence of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere (up to 96%).
Solena Group also plans to involve national and local authorities in the construction project. The technology proposed by Solena Group also offers a solution to the problem of the dispersion of solid waste in landfills, avoiding gas emissions harmful to the health and the environment.