Farmers May be Cultivating Aircraft Fuel in the Future

The development of alternative energy is a major concern in our world today. It seems we can't pick up a newspaper or turn on the television without hearing something about windpower, solar energy, water and wave power, and the development of biofuels.

Depending on your individual perspective as to where alternative energy will reap the most benefits, certain energy solutions may seem to hold more promise than others. However, while every source has its pros and cons, I believe that each one needs to be explored and developed in order to substantially lessen our dependency on oil.

Some forward-thinking aerospace corporations are doing just that and need to be congratulated for taking the initiative in developing alternative fuel sources. For example, a NASA scientist believes that within five years, commercial aircraft could be powered with a biofuel derived from saltwater plants, or halophytes, grown in desert areas and irrigated using sea water. There are approximately 22 countries currently conducting experimental activities into the cultivation of halophytes for use in food production, which could eventually lead to a halophyte-derived biomass to produce biofuels capable of powering aircraft.

Along these same lines, Green Flight International and Biodiesel Solutions recently completed an experimental flight in an L-29 aircraft made in the former Czechoslovakia using a mixture of jet fuel and biodiesel. The flight reached an altitude of 17,000ft with no significant difference in performance compared to jet fuel, reports Green Flight International.

Thanks to the efforts of corporations such as these, I think biofuels will be powering aircraft much sooner than most people believe. Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic, launched an alternative fuels division in 2006, pledging the profits from his airline and trains for the next 10 years. Then last year, Virgin Atlantic announced that its goal is to get one of its 747 jumbo jets airborne in 2008 using biofuels, and they did. A successful flight from London to Amsterdam was recently completed, where 25% of the fuel used was a biofuel mix of babassu and coconut oils. Partnering with Boeing, General Electric and Imperium Renewables, Virgin Atlantic is currently testing approximately eight biofuels to determine which is most effective at high altitude. Virgin believes that biofuel-powered aircraft could be operating commercially within five years, significantly cutting the airline industry's carbon dioxide emissions. If successful, biofuels could eliminate oil dependence entirely.

For the sake of the aerospace industry, with its projected increase in passenger travel over the next 15 years, it is critical that alternative fuels such as biofuel becomes a reality. With the projected output of jet fuel increasing ever so slightly, due to the crude oil and refinery problems existing today, more needs to be done to cut fuel consumption. We can't just rely on lighter aircraft, restricting the amount of luggage on flights, or air traffic controllers reducing the amount of holdings to generate the needed fuel efficiencies.

It just may take a field the size of Florida to reduce fuel consumption in the U.S. by 10% to 15%. Considering our alternatives, that may not be too bad.