Qantas CEO Alan Joyce at the press launch. (AFP Photo/Greg Wood)The Australian airline Qantas recently launched its first flight using a 50/50 blend of biofuel and regular jet fuel. The flight took off on April 13 and marked the launch of the Australian government’s program to fund research into the production of sustainable fuel for airplanes.
The government will pump $500,000 as part of the Emerging Renewables Program. Qantas will partner with Shell Australia to analyse the viability of biofuel feedstock from a carbon mitigation perspective.
“The study will also investigate the opportunity to use existing refining plant and fuel distribution infrastructure for aviation biofuel production,†Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said.
