Description
LML4801 Assignment 2 Semester 2 2024 | Due 18 September 2024. Multiple Essays Provided.
Background Information
‘International climate goals imply reaching net-zero global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by roughly mid-century (and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the century). Among the most difficult emissions to avoid will be those from aviation given the industry’s need for energy-dense liquid fuels that lack commercially competitive substitutes and the difficult-to-abate non-CO2 radiative forcing… [A]mbitious reductions in demand for air transport and improvements in the energy efficiency of aircraft might avoid up to 61% (2.8 GtCO2 equivalent (GtCO2eq)) and 27% (1.2 GtCO2eq), respectively, of projected business-as-usual aviation emissions in 2050. However, further reductions will depend on replacing fossil jet fuel with large quantities of net-zero emissions biofuels or synthetic fuels (that is, 2.5–19.8 EJ of sustainable aviation fuels) – which may be substantially more expensive.’1
Scenario
The Saflying Company consists of various divisions relating to the Aviation industry, among others a department for commercial flights and a research and development department. Since the reduction of CO2 emissions has many benefits, one of the research and development teams is tasked to work on creating fuels to replace or improve current fossil jet fuels, under the lead of Dr Williams. Her team finds a simple way in which a fuel using plant or animal-derived oils is blended with more traditional fossil fuel in order to create a fuel which has lower CO2 emissions when burned. Dr Williams (through the company’s intellectual property management team) applies for a patent on 14 January 2023 with the following description: ‘A process for producing at least one blended fuel from a paraffin rich component and a cyclic rich component, where each of the components are generated from a renewable feedstock, is presented. The paraffin rich component is generated from glycerides and free fatty acids in feedstocks such as plant and animal oils. The cyclic rich component is generated from biomass derived pyrolysis oil. The source of the animal or plant oil and the biomass may be the same renewable source.’2
Question
The South African Department of Defence wishes to use this patented process for their own jet fuel to improve their own environmental footprint, but also to save taxpayers’ money. Consider all options available to the Department of Defence, including licensing, defences to patent infringement and any applicable constitutional rights aspects.
Buswa –
Good
Lutho77 –
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mina –
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️