Air New Zealand tests jatropha as fuel
Dec 31, 2008 Green Technologies, Information of the Day
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand successfully undertook its first biofuel powered flight yesterday, joining Virgin Airlines in exploring newer alternatives for Aviation Turbine Fuel.
During a two-hour flight to and from Auckland International Airport, the Air New Zealand crew sought to test how the fuel, made from jatropha plants and blended 50:50 with Jet A1 fuel in the tank of one of four Rolls-Royce engines on a 747-400, stood up to use at high altitudes and in other demanding conditions.
Air New Zealand had Boeing and a subsidiary of Honewell as partners in the test flight. While there has been a lot of debate on whether biofuel really cut down emissions or whether they cause food crisis, jatropha is seen as promising because it can grow under hostile climate and lands unsuitable for foodcrop production.
Watch a video of the people behind this attempt after the jump.
Air New Zealand had actually scheduled the test earlier in December, but postponed it aftera crash of its aircraft near France.
Tags: Air New Zealand, biofuel, Boeing, Jatropha
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