Richard Branson is once again a step ahead of the competition and his company Virgin Atlantic has become the first world airlines to fly a 747 jumbo jet on renewable fuel. The flight from London to Amsterdam flew on biofuel composing of the environmentally and socially sustainable oils babassu and coconut - oils which can also be found in cosmetics such as lip balm and shaving cream.
This world first for Virgin Atlantic was made possible with the help of aviation giants Boeing, GE Aviation and Imperium Renewables and gleaned the advantage of requiring no modification of the aircraft for the biofuel flight to take place.
This is a first positive (albeit tiny) step that will eventually lead to a broader industry-wide move to try to reduce the massive impact that the airline industry has on global carbon emissions - whether a mass change and usage of biofuels (versus less use of airlines) will be welcomed by environmentalist's is debatable.
What's Driving This Trend
- Renewable Fuel in Aviation
- Opportunity to develop and commercialize renewable fuel alternatives for the aviation industry.
- Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Oils
- Potential for utilizing babassu and coconut oils in various industries beyond aviation, such as cosmetics and personal care products.
- Reducing Carbon Emissions in the Airline Industry
- Potential to innovate and implement solutions to reduce the environmental impact of the airline industry.
Who This Affects Most
- Aviation
- Opportunity to explore and invest in renewable fuel technologies for commercial flights.
- Cosmetics
- Opportunity to incorporate babassu and coconut oils into sustainable cosmetics and personal care products.
- Environmental Solutions
- Opportunity to provide innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions in the airline industry.
