British Airways to produce bio-fuel

The cost of fuel plus the economic recession has clearly influenced British Airways to find ways to cut costs. However amongst the staff cuts, the company has unveiled a plan to build Europe's first sustainable jet-fuel plant and plans to use the low-carbon fuel to power part of its fleet from 2014.

The plant will derive new fuel from waste biomass and manufactured in a facility that can convert a variety of waste materials, destined for landfill, into aviation fuel. The site of the factory is expected to be somewhere in East London, with four possibilities being discussed.

High-flying partnership

The plant, built in partnership with American bio-fuel company Solena Group, aims to convert 500,000 tonnes of potential waste into 16 million gallons of green jet fuel equating to greenhouse gas savings of up to 95 percent when compared with normal fossil-fuel driven jet fuel.

Dr Robert Do, chairman and chief executive of the Solena Group said: "The Solena - British Airways BioJetFuel project will efficiently convert biomass into clean renewable fuels and electricity and is completely carbon neutral.

"The plant will be a state-of-the-art renewable fuel manufacturing facility, distinct from a standard waste to energy incinerator facility. It will not produce any polluting emissions or undesirable by-products."

16 million gallons would also be twice the amount of fuel required to make all of BA's flights at London City Airport carbon-neutral.

As you can see the environmental and financial benefits are clear, but the project makes even more saving in reducing the amount of waste (and money needed) to send waste to landfills. This in turn can also be used to generate 20MW of electricity a year from renewable sources.

BA would purchase all fuel produced at the plant and it is believed that its construction would lead to the creation of 1200 jobs.

Willie Walsh, British Airways' chief executive, was quoted as saying, "This unique partnership with Solena will pave the way for realising our ambitious goal of reducing net carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2050.

"We believe it will lead to the production of a real sustainable alternative to jet kerosene. We are absolutely determined to reduce our impact on climate change and are proud to lead the way on aviation's environmental initiatives."

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