Air New Zealand is planning the world’s first airline flight using biofuel, as the industry tries to comes to terms with the heavy emissions of greenhouse gases aircraft produce. The airline says the flight could take place by late 2008 or early 2009.
The plans are for a test flight without passengers using a blend of aviation biofuel and standard kerosene fuel in one engine only of a Boeing 747. The exact type of biofuel and the blend to be used will be announced at a later date.
Biofuels are made from organic matter such as plants and sewage, as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Air New Zealand, majority owned by the national government, is among the more proactive companies in aviation searching for an environmentally friendly fuel and says the test flight will be an important step in its programme to find one.
Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe says recent advances in technology had brought the possibility closer than previously thought. Boeing and Virgin are also reported to be working on a “bio-jetfuel”.
New Zealand’s economy relies heavily on inbound tourism and agricultural exports, promoting a clean, green image to the rest of the world. For a country so far from major markets, especially in Europe, it is very sensitive to the growing debate over travel-related greenhouse emissions and
“food miles”.
Worldwide, aviation emissions account only for around 3 per cent of all human-related greenhouse emissions but have been growing rapidly with a boom in air travel over the last decade or so. A tonne of aviation fuel burnt produces up to three tonnes of carbon dioxide.
New Zealand Herald 29/9/07, ONE News, MarketWatch/Dow Jones 28/9/07