Commercial jets can fly on biofuel

The worlds first commercial flight partly powered with biofuel landed already in February 2008. The goal of the Virgin Atlantic test flight from London to the Netherlands was to show that biofuels can produce less carbon dioxide than normal jet fuels.

Despite the fanfare many have dismissed the Boeing 747 test flight as a media stunt while others noted that scientists are questioning the environmental benefits of biofuels.

The world is currently rushing to develop biofuels, especially ethanol from corn, as a substitute for gasoline. But recent studies have found that almost all biofuels actually cause more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels if the full emissions caused to producing this alternative fuels are considered.

Still Virgin Atlantic is not the only airline conducting or planning test flights with non traditional fuels. Air New Zealand also plans to conduct test flights running partly on biofuel.