Virgin Atlantic to launch biofuel aircraft

The flight is a joint project of Virgin, GE and Boeing Aircraft and is intended to demonstrate the feasibility of alternative fuels for aviation. If successful, analysts believe the technology which is part of GE's ecomagination program, could cut aircraft fuel consumption by as much as 5% to 10%. “Aviation is getting a lot of attention right now for its impact on global warming,” said Kelly Fletcher, advanced technology leader of sustainable energy technologies at the GE research center.

Biofuels are clean in terms of nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. While the biofuel demonstration may be just months away, GE researchers are also working on a number of other projects, all intended to make aircraft more efficient, quieter and cleaner.

However, much remains to be done, and test flights are still at least five years away, GE scientists have said, with ground applications in such areas as power generation coming first.