Virgin Atlantic are the first to begin Green fuel tests
Published: 21/05/08
With prices of oil going up to around USD100 per barrel and the CO2 emmission dramatically effecting climate control Richard Branson has announced that Virgin Atlantic will fly one of its 747-400 aircrafts on Bio-fuel without passengers on a flight to Amsterdam from London Heathrow next month.
Virgin's statement did not say from what source the bio-fuels will be derived, nor did it say if the green fuel would be mixed with traditional petroleum-derived fuels for the test. Virgin Atlantic has been working alongside GE who have developed the engine that is currently being built into the 747 aircrafts.
The Air Transport World story quotes researchers, as saying perhaps the most promising source for future bio-fuels is actually algae. It yields significant quantities of algae oil, and doesn't diminish plant stocks employed as food.