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Aiel · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 927 Location: Bangalore

Virgin plans to fly 747 on biofuel in 2008
The first commercial aircraft to be powered by biofuel will fly next year in what could be a significant step towards airlines reducing their oil consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
Virgin Atlantic is to announce today that one of its 747 jumbo jets will be used to demonstrate that biofuels can power an aircraft. The project, which includes Boeing and General Electric, the engine-maker, hopes to have the “green” jumbo airborne in 2008
Virgin hopes that biofuel-powered aircraft could be operating commercially within five years, which could help to cut significantly the airline industry’s carbon dioxide emissions. At present air travel contributes 2 per cent to 3 per cent of climate-change gases, but that level is increasing as the activity expands. The industry is investing in lighter aircraft and new engines to improve fuel efficiency, but biofuels could eliminate oil dependence entirely.

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