QINGDAO, China, Sept. 2, 2010–Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) have officially opened their joint laboratory to accelerate microalgae-based aviation biofuels research.

Called the Joint Research Lab for Sustainable Aviation Biofuels, the lab was lauded during an opening ceremony today by representatives of Boeing and QIBEBT, a research institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as a foundational element in the creation of a sustainable aviation biofuels industry in China.

The partners announced their intent to establish the lab in May, and it stems from a memorandum of understanding signed in October 2009 by representatives of Boeing and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to work together on mutually beneficial technologies.

"Today is the beginning of what we believe will be a long relationship with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop China’s innovative intellectual property in new sustainable energy resources for aviation,” said David Wang, president of Boeing China.

"Our collaboration with QIBEBT is part of Boeing’s overall strategy to help accelerate the commercial viability of sustainable aviation biofuels in every region of the world where our customers operate their airplanes,” said Al Bryant, vice president of Boeing Research & Technology-China. “Through our research partnership with the Chinese Academy of Sciences we are uniquely positioned to help accelerate the availability of algae-based jet fuels.”

"Ever since the establishment of QIBEBT, it owns a comprehensive and innovative R&D system that expands from resources, technology, process to products. We have already made significant progress in terms of research and development of microalgae-based biofuel. And at the same time we earned recognition from our counterparts domestically and internationally. Boeing has always been a leading aerospace enterprise globally and has the tradition of innovation from the very beginning. As an end user, the Boeing Company makes proactive deployment to develop aviation biofuel. This will definitely play a leading role in the R&D activities, demonstration and industrialization of aviation biofuel in China and the world," said Wang Lisheng, QIBEBT director general. “We suggest working together with China's large companies and government institutions based on our cooperation with Boeing to establish aviation biofuel industrialization demonstration base in Qingdao and to promote commercialization of China's aviation biofuel sector.”

Boeing has been at the forefront of sustainable aviation biofuels development throughout the world and is actively working with many different research institutes to realize regional solutions for a global need. To date, Boeing has helped establish biofuels research programs at universities and institutions in the United States, Australia, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, India and China.

The company is focused on sustainable biofuels produced from algae and other renewable resources that do not compete with food crops for land or water. Sustainable aviation fuels from biomass sources provide the added benefit of reduced life-cycle carbon emissions, while helping to lessen aviation’s dependence on fossil fuels.