Biofuel - the First Airline Trend of 2009
Tuesday January 6, 2009
The green-ing of air travel is becoming a more permanent idea with the airlines. There are carbon offsets, some airlines have various recycling projects, you may be on a flight that flies at a lower speed or a higher altitude to save on fuel use, an aircraft may be cleaned or de-iced with less-polluting liquids - but now, biofuels seem to be the next green thing to hit the industry.
Air New Zealand has been one of the leaders so far in both biofuel use, and other initiatives that can reduce the environmental impact of their planes. Jatropha oil, which is derived from a poisonous shrub, was used to partly fuel one of the airline's flights on December 30.
Virgin Atlantic has also tested out biofuels, and Boeing and Continental Airlines are also looking to do so as well. Back in November, Green Flight International completed the first US cross-country flight with an aircraft that was fuelled mostly by biofuel.
Some of the carbon offset programs offered by the airlines - Air Travel and the Environment - Climate Crisis, Climate Change and Carbon Taxes
As the Bioefuel is always much more expensive than the mineral/fossil fuel.
The Jatropha Jet Fuel (Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene) will be much more expensive than the currenr Jet Fuel A1 Kerosene refined from mineral /fossil oil.
How does it come true if the cost to have the bioeenrgy like SPK will be more than double of the current Jet Fuel A1 Kerosene.
I do hope that this bio fuel fever will not vanish and disappear because of the commercial viability due to the current low mineral fuel prices..
All must realize that Bio energy is must to go ahead.
it should not be just the fever of green energy fashion in trend.
It must be the future.
To scrap or shelve any bio energy projects will be future energy suicide.
The collapse of the current prices of mineral fuel will not stay long and it must not impact the bio energy development programs negatively.
The show must go on for the bio energy development.
We need to think positive that the current situation is giving more chances and time for the Bio energy developer to have more time to develop the future green renewable energy.
great comment – informative! thanks for sharing
All aviation consortium should pool the money to support the project of green bio jet fuel.
All energy research institute should prioritize to have the Biofuel development intensively.
Time is running out for the existed and limit fossil energy.
How soon the Jatropha Jet Fuel would be commercialized ?
Is the cost of Jatropha Jet fuel competitive to the current jet fuel A1 Kerosene ?
Will all aviation consortium support this green biofuel if it would be more expensive than the fossil Jet Fuel ?
Are there any commitment form the aviation consortium in emission reduction according to the climate change scheme ?
It is better to use fuels that is carbon free.It doesn’t matter the cost or tax put up on the fuel.As global warming nowadays is becoming a serious issue.