Biofuel trial flight set for 747 in 2008
airliner partially powered by biofuel. Biofuel trial flight set for 747 in 2008.
But Virgin Atlantic is planning to beat Air New Zealand to the punch by having
its own biofuel flight early next year.
and aircraft manufacturer Boeing to research “greener” flying.
also see one engine of a 4-engined commercial jet running partially or entirely
on a biofuel.
more complex and controversial over the last couple of years. Research shows
that some existing technologies actually result in increased greenhouse gas emissions
compared with conventional fuels. There is growing concern too about the amount
of land needed to grow existing fuel crops such as rape and maize, and about the
impact on wildlife.
of the month for environmentalists to say they’re not the answer,” observed Tim
Johnson, director of the Aviation Envionment Federation, a UK-based research and
campaign group. “And it’s not just aviation chasing them, it’s every sector;
and at the end of the day, can we deliver on the supply side?”
so-called second generation biofuels, where entire plants grown specifically for
fuel can be processed, rather than just parts of food crops as at present. This
approach would use land more efficiently and produce far higher carbon savings.
But the technology is in its infancy, and widespread commercial use probably a
decade away.
some biofuels:
of running six family cars for a year.”