As the world turns its attention to addressing global warming, the airline industry, too, is researching ways to do its part and lower greenhouse gas emissions. One option is investing more into the development and integration of alternative fuels. Biofuels made from vegetable oil, corn and even household garbage are all very real possibilities.
As the world turns its attention to addressing global warming, the airline industry, too, is researching ways to do its part and lower greenhouse gas emissions. One option is investing more into the development and integration of alternative fuels. Biofuels made from vegetable oil, corn and even household garbage are all very real possibilities.
Air travel is one of the largest contributors to environmental pollution. Traditional jet fuel contains a combination of various pollutants, like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. This noxious combination is what creates the greenhouse effect that harms our atmosphere.
The aviation industry knows it is a large part of the problem where climate change is concerned, and it’s already working on a transition to alternative fuels. The technology already exists. But manufacturers haven’t been able to produce the necessary quantities for widespread use.
Where the industry is now
Airlines like Virgin and JetBlue have already begun to integrate eco-friendly fuels into their fleet of aircraft, but they’re limited in terms of how frequently these substitutes for traditional jet fuel can be used. To put it in context, JetBlue just put in an order of 330 million gallons of renewable fuel. Only 100 million gallons are produced annually, and despite JetBlue’s record-breaking request, the need in the aviation industry numbers in the billions of gallons.
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