PITTSBURGH — The natural gas drilled from wells on the property of Pittsburgh International Airport could be converted into a form of synthetic jet fuel using already-existing and commercially available technology. Such a development, if pursued, would then build upon PIT’s already established energy independence, which in February saw the airport announce that 100% of its electricity consumption came from its on-site microgrid powered by natural gas and solar energy.
That’s according to findings in a new report from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), which said that this possibility is “technically feasible” if the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA), which manages PIT, decided to construct and operate a gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility on its Moon Township property.
“The microgrid is powered by natural gas and solar power produced on the airport property and was completed in summer 2021,” the report stated. “This study examines the feasibility of producing jet fuel at the airport to provide a secure supply of aviation fuel, furthering PIT’s ability to weather supply disruptions and operate self-sufficiently.”
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