It's challenging to electrify aviation using batteries or fuel cells in part because of the weight restrictions on aircraft, so liquid biofuels have the potential to play a big role in greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
Sir Richard Branson has welcomed the first commercial flight powered partly by a new form of biofuel converted from alcohol.
On Monday, a Qantas flight took off from Los Angeles, US to Melbourne, Australia burning 90-percent regular jet fuel and 10-percent mustard seed oil biofuel.
Qantas recently announced it will operate the world’s first bio-fuel flight between the United States and Australia. The Los Angeles to Melbourne flight will take place early next year.
A recent analysis from US researchers estimate that an aircraft could fly for 10 hours on bio-jet fuel produced on 54 acres of specially engineered sugarcane.
The country’s top airlines say Canada has the potential to become a biofuel superpower by transforming forest residue and agricultural crops into energy.
Singapore Airlines has begun operating what it calls “green package” flights on its non-stop San Francisco-Singapore route, powered by sustainable biofuels produced from used cooking oils and conventional jet fuel.
Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia say they have compiled a short-list of potential companies for the supply of commercially viable, locally produced aviation biofuel.
Businesses and local governments aren’t doubting climate change, and they aren’t waiting to do something about it. Sea-Tac, USA may become the first airport to fuel all of its flights with biofuel.
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific will switch to biofuels made from landfill rubbish on select long haul flights, reports said Tuesday, in an effort to cut harmful emissions.
Japan Airlines wants to turn used clothes citizens throw away into jet fuel, with the collaboration of the recycling firm Jeplan and Green Earth Institute.
United Airlines made history March 11 by becoming the first U.S. airline to begin use of commercial-scale volumes of sustainable aviation biofuel for regularly scheduled flights with the departure of United Flight 708 from LAX International Airport.
On June 18, a Honeywell-operated Gulfstream G450 successfully completed the first transatlantic biofuel flight. The twinjet's right Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8C engine was run on a 50-50 blend of Honeywell UOP's Green Jet Fuel and petroleum-based jet fuel.
Biofuels - Solazyme completes first commercial flight on biofuel - Renewable Energy Magazine, at the heart of clean energy journalism
In Copenhagen this week, a coalition of companies and associations involved in aviation biofuels made a strong case for the sector not only as a quick win for biofuels, but as a quick win for clean energy as a whole.
