Halophytic plants, which can be highly productive sources of biomass energy, will be the first research target of the study team led by Boeing, Mexico's Ministry of Communications and Transport's Airports and Auxiliary Services agency (ASA), and Honeywell's UOP, based in Des Plaines, Ill.

"This is a first-of-its kind collaboration involving key government, private sector and academic leaders," said Darrin Morgan, director of Biofuel Strategy for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The team will assess the potential for large-scale production of aviation fuels made from sustainable biomass systems including halophytes, algae and others, he added.

This week's announcement follows meetings in September involving 50 government and business officials in Mexico. At that time, ASA, Boeing and UOP agreed to commission initial studies on promising biomass systems for Mexico and to work through the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, an effort to develop a global biofuel sustainability framework.

"Partnerships like this one are the key to a better understanding and, ultimately, commercial use of renewable aviation fuels," said Jennifer Holmgren, UOP general manager for Renewable Energy & Chemicals. She added, "There is great potential here to identify and implement a sustainable supply chain for the production of aviation biofuels."

Gilberto Lopez Meyer, general director of ASA, said, "ASA aims to be a catalyst to jump-start the production of bio jet fuels in Mexico, enabling our country to become a leader in the development and commercialization of aviation biofuels worldwide."