Greener fuels for aircraft are grounded
British Airways and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce are to use an indoor test bed at a facility in Derby to evaluate alternative fuels for the aviation industry.
Aircraft currently use the fuel kerosene, which is derived from the highest and most expensive grades of oil such as Brent Crude, but ‘greener’ alternatives are already under development. Richard Branson drew publicity earlier this year when he ran one of the four engines on a Virgin 747 on a bio-fuel/kerosene mix during a short-haul test flight. An engine from the same type of aircraft will be used in the testing by BA.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association said: “Airlines are on the ropes the moment – oil prices and the widespread realisation that flying harms the environment look set to increase, but the industry will survive and so it is vital that it does all it can to use fuel from as sustainable a source as possible.”
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