Earlier this month, I blogged about Virgin Atlantic's plans to test a commercial flight (on a Boeing 747) using biofuels.
Virgin, up until recently, had not disclosed the type of biofuel it would use, only saying that it would be a sustainable type of biofuel (i.e., does not compete with fresh water or food resources). However, Boeing has recently admitted that it will be using what is called a "first generation biofuel", rather than a "second generation biofuel."*
While this isn't great news, I'm still hopeful that Virgin and other airlines will press forward in looking for new and alternative solutions to jet fuel.
* In very simplistic terms, a first generation biofuel is one which that is made from food crops, and generally competes for land or water use. Second generation biofuels are generally more preferred, as they are made from non-food feedstocks, such as waste from agriculture and forestry.
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