Environmental friendly fuel should be adopted by all industries to reduce pollution. The aviation industry has covered milestones in ensuring that the greenhouse is protected. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley developed a new method to convert sugar and biomass-derived organic molecules to be used in aviation fuel and the solar-powered plane is already touring the world.
United Airlines will start using fuel generated from animal poop and fat. This is reportedly the first time a domestic airline will start using alternative jet fuel to fly passengers. The first flight to be powered from farm waste and oils derived from animal fats will take off from Los Angeles and land in San Francisco. United Airlines will then make four to five flights a day between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Passengers shouldn’t be able to notice anything different during their flights.
IflScience reports that the biofuel is produced by the firm AltAir Fuels. The jet fuel will contain 30% biofuel and 70% traditional fuel. The airline provides that the biofuel will be supplied in all its stations. United Airlines also announced a $30 million investment in Fulcrum BioEnergy, one of the leading producers of alternative fuels.
“We know alternative fuels is an emerging industry that is vital to the future of aviation and this is just one of our initiatives to help make these fuels saleable and scalable,” Brett Hart, United Airlines’ executive vice president and general counsel said. “Investing in alternative fuels is not only good for the environment, it’s a smart move for our company as biofuels have the potential to hedge against future oil price volatility and carbon regulations.”
“Our technology can reduce the airline’s carbon emissions by 80% compared to traditional jet fuel and in a cost-effective way, our biofuel could cost a lot less than $1 a gallon.” Fulcram said.
Airlines around the globe contribute largely to climatic change which will later be harmful to animals and plants. It is estimated that airlines account for around 2% of global carbon emissions. Many airlines are now being pressured to turn to biofuels to reduce their carbon footprint. Alternative fuels is the best move but most airlines are hampered by a number of factors including cost and difficulty of large-scale production.
Environmental Protection Agency’s announced a proposal to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. airplanes. Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and British Airways have all announced plans to move towards biofuels in the near future.
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