Swedish company about to become first in the world to supply alternative fuel to the aviation industry worldwide

In recent years, my personal interest in aviation, combined with the nature of NTEX business, has drawn my attention to articles about alternative fuels, primarily for the airline industry.

I have been able to follow the Swedish-Russian chemistry professor and entrepreneur Angelica Hull from a distance. Together with her father Igor Golubkovs, who is an internationally known researcher in the Russian rocket fuel development, she has created the company Swedish Biofuels. Together they have developed the technology to produce the world's first green jet fuel, something all of the world's airlines wish to use in order for them to manage their major environmental challenges.

According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the air traffic stands for roughly two percent of global carbon emissions today, but along with the emission of water vapor and nitrogen oxides, the industry accounts for approximately 3.5 percent of the human impact on climate. Moreover, the aviation sector is increasing the most – in just fifteen years, air travel has almost doubled.

Many are trying to develop an alternative fuel, but I wonder if Angelica & Co. just might have come the furthest. At least she has several exciting stakeholders who have invested big money in the project: the United States Armed Forces, the EU and the Swedish Armed Forces, FMV to name a few. 

Just imagine the triumph for Sweden! A tiny Swedish family business could be first in the world to deliver alternative fuel to the aviation industry worldwide. Imagine the job opportunities and adjacent businesses this could entail. 

But, as so many times before, Sweden is about to lose this prospect. And this is despite the fact that Angelica and the Swedish Biofuels really want to locate the production in Sweden. The authorities, however, show very little interest in this. 

On two occasions, they have tried to apply for contributions from the Swedish Energy Agency, in order to build a commercial plant in Sweden, but both applications were turned down. 

From the looks of it, a lot is pointing to the first factory being built in the Danish town of Kalundborg instead, where the Swedish Biofuels has been welcomed with open arms. 

One can only hope that one of the politicians and/or government will make a quick awakening and try to change this.