Green Options

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It’s been an intriguing week for British environmental activists, with the discovery of a spy in the camp at UK aviation protest group Plane Stupid.

Ultimately the spy, an employee of C2i International who specialize in ’special risk management’ (otherwise known as industrial espionage) was little match for Plane Stupid, who described him as “more Austin Powers than James Bond”.

Accounts of the episode reveal that Ken Tobias (real name Tobias Kendall), made a number of basic errors, including:

• Wearing expensive designer clothes (which he attempted to disguise by wearing a Palestinian scarf to give some environmental credibility)
• Turning up to meetings consistently early
• Demonstrating an unusual eagerness to reap mayhem on British airport infrastructure by suggesting the grandest and most aggressive schemes
• Allowing information on planned activities to be published almost immediately in the press

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It’s the first time a plane powered by a hydrogen cell has left the ground with a pilot at the controls. Boeing said there’s still a lot to do before hydrogen fuel cells will power commercial airliners. As the technology progresses, Boeing says traditional jet fuel will be phased out as renewable sources take its place.

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Continental Airlines, Boeing, and GE Aviation have scheduled a biofuel test flight for early 2009, citing the desire to identify sustainable fuel alternatives for the aviation industry. Continental may be the first US carrier to do so and, in the words of president and CEO of GE aviation, is “taking an important step in advancing the use of sustainable biofuels in aviation.”

The three companies are working together to identify a non-food based, second-generation biofuel that won’t significantly impact forests or water resources. No details on the fuel are available, but it will have to be production ready in quantities sufficient to power the test-flight and mix seamlessly with kerosene aviation fuel (Jet-A).

Virgin Atlantic Airlines has used a sustainable fuel from biomass mixed with traditional jet fuel to power one engine on a 747 flight from London Heathrow to Amsterdam. The fuel was supplied by Imperium Renewables of Seattle, Washington, a commercial biodiesel refiner.

As promised in their earlier news releases, Virgin Atlantic said they would use a sustainable fuel made from feedstock not normally used for food products. Both coconut oil and […]

In what has become a somewhat confusing change in terminology, Boeing has announced it will use a first-generation feedstock for the fuel to be used in its upcoming demonstration flight this month.

It was first reported in January that Virgin Atlantic would test flight a Boeing 747 jetliner using a biofuel, without naming the fuel. An algae-derived biofuel was, however, mentioned as a strong possibility for the flight between London Heathrow airport and Amsterdam. […]

Virgin Atlantic Airways will use a 20% blend of algae-derived biofuel in a demonstration flight later this month. The fuel will be fed to one engine through an independent system in order not to mix with the fuel going to the other three engines.

In January, Virgin announced it would conduct the test flight, and only hinted at the use of an algae-based biofuel for the test. Flight quoted a document verifying the use of […]

Airbus beat Boeing to the punch and flew the first commercial aircraft using an alternative fuel in one engine. The really interesting thing is the two airlines are using different alternative fuels in their test flights.

Boeing announced in January they would test an alternative fuel in one engine of a 747, but did not disclose what that fuel would be. They did, however, talk a great deal about an algae-derived fuel, without being […]

Commercial aviation is coming under increasing environmental pressure due to its high emissions, noise and rapid growth. Militarily aviation in Switzerland is now starting to feel some of the same pressures.

Swiss hotel owner and environmentalist Walter Knutti has become tired of the noise and concerned by unnecessary emissions from military aircraft on training flights from the nearby airbase of Meiringen. Taking action, Knutti has collected enough signatures to force the issue to a popular vote - under the Swiss system of direct democracy voters have a right to challenge parliamentary laws or pass constitutional amendments by collecting a minimum number of signatures to force a ballot.

Under Knutti’s initiative, Swiss voters will decide next month if military jets should be banned from tourism zones.

A Boeing 747 jet, using 20 percent biofuel in one engine, is expected to take off from London’s Heathrow Airport and fly to Amsterdam in late February. The test flight will be without passengers and is part of a research project being conducted by the airline, Boeing and the maker of the engine, GE Aviation.

Interestingly, sources were specific that the biofuel used will be from a very sustainable source, but not one that would […]

Not everyone has the same definition for the term ‘renewable-fuel’.

The United States Air Force is well on their way to becoming coal-powered. On Monday, the USAF carried out a transcontinental test flight using a 50-50 blend of standard jet fuel and coal-based ’synfuel’.

“The Air Force is taking a leadership role in testing and certifying the use of synthetic fuel in aircraft,” Secretary Wynne said. “We’re working very closely with our Army and Navy colleagues to ensure that this fuel is capable of operating in all of our aircraft. This is especially important because JP-8 military jet fuel is commonly used in the battlefield by the Army and Marines tactical vehicles and generators, as well as our respective aircraft.”

While synthetic fuel has the capacity to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, it could also double CO2 emissions produced by military flight. At the time of this writing, synfuel is made via Fischer-Tropsch process from either coal or natural gas to produce a somewhat cleaner burning but extremely greenhouse-gas intensive product.

Hundreds of climate change activists gathered near London’s Heathrow airport yesterday to protest against extension plans and greenhouse gas emissions. Demonstrators assembled just north of the airport for a week-long campaign aimed at highlighting both the double standards of the British government and the aviation industry’s damaging impact on the environment.

The British government has vowed to reduce green house gas emissions, but at the same time it supports plans to expand […]