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Continental Tests Biofuels To Power Flight

January 07, 2009 3:16 PM

In the latest advance in green air travel, a Continental Airlines flight leaves from Houston's George Bush Airport on Wednesday powered in part by biofuels.

The 737 jet will not carry passengers but will be the first flight by a U.S. carrier powered by a combination of traditional jet fuel and a biofuel. The biofuel, made from oil from the jatropha plant blended with algae, is among many alternative fuels that people are testing in hopes that they will do less damage to the environment than traditional jet fuels.

"The technical knowledge we gain today will contribute to a wider understanding of the future for transportation fuels," said Continental chairman and CEO Larry Kellner in a Wednesday statement.

The flights are the latest advances in the aviation industry's efforts to go green. Whether constructing new terminals or offering travelers ways to offset the carbon emitted from their trips by donating money to environmental projects, the industry is working to curb the notion that commercial aviation is polluting the skies.

"The simple combination of sunlight, CO2 and algae to produce a carbon-neutral, renewable fuel source has the potential to profoundly change the petrochemical landscape forever," added Jason Pyle, CEO of Sapphire Energy, the group that provided the algae oil for the Continental flight. "Today's flight puts us one step closer to moving away from fossil fuels and energy dependency, and with no impact on the transportation infrastructure, food sources or the environment."

Though the Continental flight is a first in the U.S., other airlines around the world are also working to make strides in environmentally friendly aviation.

Richard Branson tested an alternative fuel in one of his Virgin Atlantic planes last February when the carrier flew from London's Heathrow airport to Amsterdam using biofuels. Air New Zealand also recently conducted a similar test on Dec. 30, flying a 747 plane partially powered by jatropha oil.

Still, many say relying on biofuels to power flights will take some time.

-ABC News' Kate Barrett

January 7, 2009 | Permalink | User Comments (0)

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