The launch of numerous commercial flights powered by biofuels is great news for the renewable energy investment sector. In the past few weeks, flights powered by biofuels have commenced in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Mexico. In the United States, Alaska Airlines in partnership with Dynamic Fuels, and United Airlines in conjunction with Solazyme will also run biofuel flights, great news for renewable energy investments based on the production of biofuels.

On the morning of 7th of November in Texas, USA, United Airlines flew the first United States commercial flight - UA Flight 1403 - fuelled by biofuels, using Solazyme Solajet fuel.

The Boeing 737-800 Eco-Skies aircraft departed from United’s terminal at Bush Intercontinental Airport and flew to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.

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The Solajet fuel powering the United flight is a 40/60 mix of sustainable biofuel and traditional petroleum-derived jet fuel, and the company’s green oils were refined into Solafuel by Honeywell’s UOP.

Flying from Seattle to Washington, D.C., and between Seattle and Portland, the first regular commercial flight fuelled in part by biofuels launched on Wednesday, November 9th. This will be the first of 75 Alaska Airlines commercial passenger flights in the United States powered by biofuels.

Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, will continue to fly over the next few weeks utilising a 20 per cent mix of biofuels derived from used cooking oils.

Alaska Air Group Chairman and CEO Bill Ayer commented that the flights are a step towards sustainability and environmental responsibility by the aviation industry, going on to note that what is really needed is a consistent, reliable supply of green oils.

DGC Asset Management believe that this on-going and expanding demand for biofuels is great news for those Investors involved in renewable energy investments based on the production of biofuels in the developed world.

The Airlines commitment to 75 flights is a major step forward for the industry in demonstrating the long-term feasibility of sustainable biofuel use as a renewable-source aviation fuel.

Waste vegetable oil as a feedstock for biofuels it’s just about the ultimate renewable fuel feedstock, but due to a finite supply, this will only form a small part of the overall picture in producing biofuels.

In 2009, Continental Airlines flew from Bush Intercontinental too, fuelling the flight with biofuel cpmprised of 50 per cent petroleum-based fuel; 47 per cent biofuel derived from the Jatropha plant; and 3 per cent algae-based biofuel.

Earlier this year in June, the first ever biofuel powered flight - a Boeing 737-800 - form KLM Royal Dutch Airlines carried 171 passenger from Schiphol bound for Charles de Gaulle in Paris. Subsequently in July Thomson Airways flew from Birmingham to Palma powered by sustainable biofuels supplied by the KLM fuel consortium, SkyNRG.

The first regular biofuel flights were launched in July by German airline Lufthansa in July, flying Airbus A321 planes using a mix of 50 per cent hydro-treated renewable jet fuel made from feed-stocks such as inedible plants and wood chips.

Finnair also announced plans to fly using biofuels in July, operating a flight between Amsterdam Schiphol and Helsinki, powered by a 50 per cent mix of biofuel produced from recycled vegetable oil and kerosene, which was refuelled at Amsterdam Schiphol airport.

Two months ago in September, Aeromexico, Mexico’s largest airline started to use a 25 per cent biofuel blend to power its flights from Mexico City to San Jose, Costa Rica.

Last month in October, Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana SA, the Spanish national airline, operated Spain’s first commercial Airbus A320 flight from Madrid to Barcelona powered by a 25 per cent blend of biojet fuel made from camelina.

This month, Boeing and Air China flew China’s first sustainable biofuel powered flight from Beijing Capital International Airport. PetroChina, working in association with Honeywell’s UOP, sourced and refined the China-grown, Jatropha-based biofuel.

In October, a group of organisations in the aviation biofuels industry met in Copenhagen to make the case for the sectors contributions to the economy and environment.

DGC Asset Management offer Investors the opportunity to participate in direct renewable energy investments based on ownership of physical, tangible property assets in the UK, Australia and Latin America. The alternative investment projects offered by DGC Asset Management allow Investors to participate directly in the production of essential commodities such as food and energy, allowing investors to benefit from revenues streams linked to rising food and energy prices rather than falling interest rates.

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References:

Renewable Energy World: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/11/race-for-scale-united-alaska-airlines-launch-commercial-aviation-biofuels-flights?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-November9-2011