First commercial biofuel plane takes off

The world's first commercial aircraft powered partly by biofuel took to the skies today.

The Virgin Atlantic 747 took off on route from London Heathrow to Amsterdam using a 20% biofuel mix of coconut and babassu oil in one of its four main fuel tanks.

Virgin boss Richard Branson said the "historic" flight was the first step towards using biofuels on commercial flights.

He said however that fully commercial biofuel flights were likely to use feedstocks such as algae rather than the mix used on today's passenger-less test run.

The flight was made in partnership with Boeing, engine maker General Electric, and Imperium Renewables, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions.

Environmental groups immediately dismissed the test flight as a "publicity stunt".

Campaigners said carbon savings from biofuels, often made from organic materials such as wheat, sugarcane and palm oil, are negligible.

There is also rising concern biofuel crops could be competing with food production, damaging the environment and displacing indigenous local populations.

Branson said his fuel was "completely environmentally and socially sustainable" and does not compete with food and fresh water resources.

He said: "Today marks a biofuel breakthrough for the whole airline industry.

"Virgin Atlantic, and its partners, are proving that you can find an alternative to traditional jet fuel and fly a plane on new technology, such as sustainable biofuel.

"This pioneering flight will enable those of us who are serious about reducing our carbon emissions to go on developing the fuels of the future, fuels which will power our aircraft in the years ahead through sustainable next-generation oils, such as algae."

He said the jet engines and aircraft needed no special modifications to take the fuel, which would make it easy for the industry to take up.

Speaking from the Virgin Hangar at Heathrow, he cautioned: "What we are using today isn't going to be the fuel that we are using when we come to commercial use."

He said it was more likely to be an algae, possibly made in sewage plants.

"The good thing about today's flight is to prove that its possible for a different kind of fuel rather than conventional fuel to be used in planes," he said.

Branson added that green taxes for people flying with airlines who reduce carbon emissions should be reduced in proportion, encouraging the airlines to compete in taking environmental initiatives.

He said Virgin was willing to share its knowledge with other industry stake-holders.

The airline boss is expecting to invest £3bn (€3.97bn) over the next 10 years to tackle climate change.

Marlin Dailey, Boeing's vice president of sales for Europe, Russia and Central Asia, said the industry had the potential to reduce emissions by 50% by 2050.

He said: "Today's flight is a continuation of a journey we embarked on last year with Sir Richard and Virgin Atlantic to identify more sustainable forms of fuel for the aviation industry.

"Change begins with a vision. Following that, innovation and technologies are essential to proving the feasibility of renewable, alternative fuel sources for an environmentally progressive future of aviation."

Dr Tim Held, Manager of Advanced Combustion Engineering at GE, said ground testing was successful with a fuel mix of up to 40% biofuel.

Environmentalists used the opportunity to call for cuts in aviation emissions to be included in the UK's Climate Change Bill.

Kenneth Richter, Friends of the Earth aviation campaigner, said: "Biofuels are a major distraction in the fight against climate change.

"There is mounting evidence that the carbon savings from biofuels are negligible.

"If Virgin was really serious about reducing the aviation industry's impact on the environment it would support calls for aircraft emissions to be included in the Climate Change Bill."

The World Development Movement estimated that even if all flights from the UK used biofuels, the reduction in UK aviation's contribution to climate change would be cancelled out by one years growth in flights.

Head of policy Pete Hardstaff said: "This is nothing more than a Virgin publicity stunt with dangerous consequences for the planet.

"The concept of using biofuels and continuing the rate of expansion in the aviation industry is nonsensical.

"If Richard Branson is serious about combating climate change, instead of experimenting with biofuels, he should be backing the campaign to include aviation in the targets to reduce emissions in the climate change bill.

"Biofuels are generally sourced from crops that displace the production of staple foods.

"Consequently, food prices are rocketing as those crops are diverted from food to fuel, if this pattern continues and expands, millions of people in the developing world will see the price of staple foods soar out of their reach."

The upcoming Climate Change Bill aims to reduce British CO2 output by at least 60% by 2050.

Aviation is one of the fastest growing contributors to CO2 emissions, producing about 3% of all EU CO2 Emissions - more than oil refineries or steel works.

Experts forecast that airlines will account for 5% of global warming in 2050.

Branson said the oils used in the Virgin biofuel came from existing rainforest and derelict plantations, and did not compete with food supplies or cause deforestation.

They can also be found in everyday cosmetic products, such as lip balm and shaving cream.

The fuel is placed in the fourth main fuel tank using "over wing" refuelling to separate the conventional fuel from the biofuel blend.

The total fuel load for the test flight, flown by chief pilot Geoff Andreasen, was 22,000kg of fuel, including 5.500kg of biofuel blend, 20% of which is created from the oils.