Virgin Atlantic tests Swedish 'green' fuel
Virgin Atlantic airlines has initiated a cooperation with technology company Swedish Biofuels to start using more environmentally friendly aviation fuel.
Included in the cooperation is also airplane constructor Boeing and Lanza Tech, according to a report by news agency TT.
"It is very exciting," said CEO of Swedish Biofuels and adjunct professor at Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Angelica Hull.
“Hopefully this will lead to a certification of our fuels and a commercialization of our fuel technology.”
Hopes are to get the fuel approved for commercial flights within three years, which could lead to a halving in carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional fuel, according to the companies involved.
The fuel originates from ethanol which Lanza Tech extract and produce from gases that arise as a byproduct from steel manufacturing. The gas, which had otherwise been released into the atmosphere, will then be transformed into aviation fuel using Swedish Biofuel's technology.
At the moment Hull doesn't want to get into details about what the cooperation is worth to her company, but she admits that they would've been unable to conduct the test flights alone, which will now be carried out by Boeing and Virgin Atlantic.
"We're in the middle of a process right now," Hull said.
"The fact that this airline is considering using this fuel for their flights in the future is an important step forward."
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Included in the cooperation is also airplane constructor Boeing and Lanza Tech, according to a report by news agency TT.
"It is very exciting," said CEO of Swedish Biofuels and adjunct professor at Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Angelica Hull.
“Hopefully this will lead to a certification of our fuels and a commercialization of our fuel technology.”
Hopes are to get the fuel approved for commercial flights within three years, which could lead to a halving in carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional fuel, according to the companies involved.
The fuel originates from ethanol which Lanza Tech extract and produce from gases that arise as a byproduct from steel manufacturing. The gas, which had otherwise been released into the atmosphere, will then be transformed into aviation fuel using Swedish Biofuel's technology.
At the moment Hull doesn't want to get into details about what the cooperation is worth to her company, but she admits that they would've been unable to conduct the test flights alone, which will now be carried out by Boeing and Virgin Atlantic.
"We're in the middle of a process right now," Hull said.
"The fact that this airline is considering using this fuel for their flights in the future is an important step forward."
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