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Report: Virgin Atlantic Biofuel Flight Demo to Use First-Generation Fuel

21 February 2008

Flight reports that Virgin Atlantic will likely use a first-generation feedstock-based biodiesel or hydrogenated vegetable oil in its test flight this month. The airline is due to fly one of its Boeing 747s between London Heathrow and Amsterdam using a 20% blend of biofuel to power one of four GE CF6-80C2 engines, and has been working with Boeing and engine manufacturer GE Aviation on the initiative since last April. (Earlier post.)

Virgin has remained tight-lipped about the choice of biofuel, claiming it intends to use a “truly sustainable type” that did not compete with food and fresh water resources.

Boeing now admits that it will not be an algae or halophyte-derived alternative, second-generation biofuels that come from renewable and sustainable feedstocks. Rather, it will be a first-generation biofuel whose feedstock is generally understood to compete with either land and water use for food crops or carbon sinks such as rainforests.

Speaking to Flight at the Singapore air show, Boeing energy and emissions technology leader Dave Daggett said the Virgin flight would definitely not use algae-derived fuel, using instead what he called a first-generation feedstock, ie soy, canola, babassu or palm oil.

Posted on 21 February 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (7)

Comments

I heard Branson saying that butanol was his preferred way forward.

Posted by: clett | 21 February 2008 at 07:38 AM

Point really is someone (Branson) is caring enough about the issue to push it forward even before the desired and eventual feedstock is available. What does this do? Well, pretty much the same thing Toyota did by launching a hybrid vehicle back in 1997 - demonstrate the technology and desire to make the change. Good for Virgin.

Posted by: gr | 21 February 2008 at 09:58 AM

It is nice to see Branson leading the way to a greener air travel future.
We don't need to destroy the planet, there are alternate solutions.

However, this is a very small step forward. We see a move from an unsustainable fossil fuel to an unsustainable bio fuel. Still, it is a step towards a sustainable bio fuel airline.

Kudos to Branson for his efforts.

Posted by: John Taylor | 22 February 2008 at 03:01 AM

They did not have to do this. To me this comes under the heading of "doing good and doing well." The future of their airline is at stake.

Other airline companies may not know this yet, but they do. They can start a profitable company that supplies fuel to their airline group. This is smart management. (doing well)

Oh and by the way, they are doing good for everyone else on the CO2 side at the same time.

Posted by: sjc | 23 February 2008 at 03:21 PM