Successful test flight of algae-fuelled jet
Daylife/AP Photo by David J. Phillip
A US airline has completed the first test flight of a plane partly powered by biofuel derived from algae.
The 90-minute flight by a Continental Boeing 737-800 went better than expected, a spokesperson said. One of its engines was powered by a 50-50 blend of biofuel and normal aircraft fuel.
The flight was the first by a US carrier to use an alternative fuel source, and the first in the world to use a twin-engine commercial aircraft (rather than a four-engine plane) to test a biofuel blend.
The flight from Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport completed a circuit over the Gulf of Mexico, and pilots carried out a series of tests at 38,000ft, including a mid-flight engine shutdown.
“The airplane performed perfectly,” test pilot Rich Jankowski told the Houston Chronicle newspaper.
“There were no problems. It was textbook.” Continental Airlines chief executive Larry Kellner described the biofuel as a “drop-in fuel”, which meant that no modification to the aircraft or its engines was required.
The fuel was a blend of algae-derivative and jatropha – which regular readers will know is one of my personal favorites. I’m not certain how far along the production of raw fuelstock has come. Pilot operations and small scale production are still ramping up. But, the rate at which these alternatives are being developed – smack in the middle of a recession – is encouraging.
The algae fuels may be a good idea. I question all use of farmed plants as fuel since it puts growing fuel in competition with growing food. Not only will food, mostly for poor people, lose, but also the result will be increased deforestation as the people with no food clear more forest to grow what little they can.
Misanthropic Scott
January 9, 2009 at 5:20 am
Scott, I think you’re missing a point or two about the reality of farming – at least in the GOUSA. Most of the farmland in the US that moved over to corn for ethanol – and varieties best suited – were previously growing corn and soy. And like both those products, they were destined for export to farmers domestically or in other lands who grow meat.
Poor people and people in general aren’t losing a damned thing by such production. Meat is the last thing on their grocery list.
Most farm products produced for alternative fuels – prior to the US getting off their dead ass – are straight ahead high sugar plants like sugar cane. Sugar being another product the world doesn’t need as much as the food retailers tell us.
Brazil does well enough at that to be a net ethanol and sugar exporter. We probably could stand to lose 50-70% of the sugar in our diet – as a nation.
moss
January 9, 2009 at 6:20 am