China lands first biofuels flight
China has landed its first ever passenger flight using biofuels, and the move has been hailed as a key environmental milestone for the commercial aviation industry
China has landed its first ever passenger flight using biofuels, and the move has been hailed as a key environmental milestone for the commercial aviation industry.
Hainan Airlines flight from Shanghai to Beijing landed on Saturday and used biofuel produced by Sinopec from waste cooking oil collected from local restaurants.
The Boeing 737-800’s two engines were powered by a 50:50 fuel blend of aviation biofuel mixed with regular petroleum jet fuel.
Pu Ming, vice president of Hainan Airlines, who piloted the plane, said: "We are honoured to see our airplane fly on sustainable aviation biofuel from Shanghai to our nation's capital. As a fast-growing domestic and international carrier, Hainan Airlines is demonstrating our environmental commitment by showing that aviation biofuel can play a safe and effective role in China's air transport system."
In a statement Boeing, Hainan Airlines, and Sinopec said that the fuel can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 80 per cent compared to petroleum fuel over its lifetime and could help meet environmental targets.
Aviation currently accounts for approximately three per cent of global green house gas emissions, but this is expected to rise significantly as global trade increases and other sectors decarbonise.
The Boeing Current Market Outlook has estimated that China will need 6,020 new airplanes by 2033 to meet increasing passenger demand for domestic and international air travel.
The environmental benefits of cleaner fuels have encouraged a range of carriers from BA to Virgin, Lufthansa and KLM to experiment with fuels made from crops, waste products or algae.
In 2011, Air China conducted the country’s first aviation biofuel test flight in a Boeing 747-400 using a jatropha-based biofuel.