From 76839e98fc8cd7ade11d589b1816f6a10b678ca7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: bellgettinger6 Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2025 03:44:44 +0800 Subject: [PATCH] Update 'Airlines Focus On Biofuel Trials Gather Momentum' --- Airlines-Focus-On-Biofuel-Trials-Gather-Momentum.md | 9 +++++++++ 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Airlines-Focus-On-Biofuel-Trials-Gather-Momentum.md diff --git a/Airlines-Focus-On-Biofuel-Trials-Gather-Momentum.md b/Airlines-Focus-On-Biofuel-Trials-Gather-Momentum.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..803e564 --- /dev/null +++ b/Airlines-Focus-On-Biofuel-Trials-Gather-Momentum.md @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +
It's bad enough for some propeller aircrafts to be referred to as being powered by rubber bands. Now the cynics might start having a dig at commercial aircraft flying on whatever from cooking oil to liquefied algae.
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With the civil aviation industry under increasing pressure from increasing oil prices and environmental legislation, the race is on to find feasible options to kerosene and these so far seem to come down to different kinds of biofuel.
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Not surprisingly, the very first trials of alternative fuel were started by British aviation pioneer, Sir Richard Branson, whose Virgin Atlantic began London to Amsterdam flights with minimal biofuel usage in 2008. This was rapidly followed by Lufthansa and Air New Zealand who each used various blends of routine fuel and bio derivatives consisting of some from made from jatropha which can grow in soil considered too poor for growing mainstream foods.
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Jatropha is a genus of around 175 succulent plants, shrubs and trees (some are deciduous, like Jatropha curcas), from the family Euphorbiaceae.
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In 2007 Goldman Sachs mentioned Jatropha curcas as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production. It is resistant to dry spell and insects, and produces seeds consisting of 27-40% oil.
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Recently, US aerospace giant Boeing, Brazilian aeronautical significant Embraer and the Sao Paulo state Research Support Foundation moved to perform research study and development into making use of biofuels to power jet airliners. It was reported that Brazilian airline companies Azul, Gol, TAM and Trip would act as strategic specialists for the job.
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The most recent airline company to start experimenting with brand-new fuels is the Alaska Air Group which has performed internal US flights utilizing a mix of 80 % petroleum based fuel and 20% biofuel made from cooking oil. This mix, it is claimed, can cut harmful emissions by 10%.
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One actually motivating development has been the move away from biofuels which complete head on with food consumers consequently preventing a rate spiral. Not so long back, a surge in usage of biofuels in automobiles triggered a spike in maize prices as US farmers diverted too much corn to fuel processing.
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Hopefully in the future, airlines and drivers will focus biofuel usage on non-food sources such as jatropha and algae. It would be a combined blessing certainly if some individuals ended up starving simply to satisfy another person's green qualifications.
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