Aviation biofuel demand will outstrip supply
The demand for biofuel from the aviation industry is likely to completely outstrip supply, following predictions from jet-manufacturers that they expect official approval of biofuel use within three to five years.
Commercial aircraft will not require modification to operate solely on biofuel, but there is not currently the ability to harvest enough plant material to produce the 322 billion litres of fuel used annually by the aviation industry. Airlines will make do with a 30 per cent biofuel and kerosene blend.
Second generation biofuel
A distinction must be drawn between first-generation biofuels, which use food crops such as corn, rapeseed, palm and soya, and the currently experimental second-generation fuels based on fibrous non-food plants which could be grown without displacing other crops and raising food prices.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “The demand on natural resources from of biofuel-powered aircraft will be immense, so it is vital that the true environmental impact is calculated with great care.”
“If we tax the producers of carbon dioxide and other climate change gases, changes will occur faster than if government tries to second guess future technologies and personal taste. Biofuel could be a false dawn but in a future guise it could be great – just tax what we know to be bad and the good will flow from the results.”
The impact of deforestation
| The impact of deforeatation | …at a glance |
|---|---|
| Philippine archipelago forests | 90% lost |
| Madagascar rainforests | 95% lost |
| Brazilian Mata Atlântica forest | 90-95% lost |
| Overall impact | tropical deforestation contributes around 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions – similar to the amount generated by America and China. |
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What is the ETA?
The ETA is a not-for-profit ethical organisation providing motorists and cyclists with carbon-neutral breakdown cover and insurance products. As well as encouraging responsible driving to reduce carbon, the ETA campaigns for sustainable transport.
