Sustainability and Environment
Virgin Atlantic To Help Pioneer New Fuel Process
Virgin Atlantic last Wednesday announced plans to become the first airline to use a new low-carbon aviation biofuel
Richard Branson (second from right) joined Virgin Atlantic executives at London’s Battersea Power Station last Wednesday to announce the airline’s participation in a new alternative fuel plan.
Richard Branson (second from right) joined Virgin Atlantic executives at London’s Battersea Power Station last Wednesday to announce the airline’s participation in a new alternative fuel plan.

Virgin Atlantic last Wednesday announced plans to become the first airline to use a new low-carbon aviation biofuel that leaves just half the carbon footprint of the standard fossil fuel alternative. New Zealand’s LanzaTech plans to produce the new fuel using a process that captures waste gases from industrial steel production, ferments it and chemically converts it for use as a jet fuel, using technology  developed by Swedish Biofuels.

Within three years Virgin Atlantic plans to fly on the new fuel on routes from Shanghai and Delhi to London Heathrow as LanzaTech and partners develop production facilities in China and India. LanzaTech now operates a pilot facility in New Zealand, and plans to build a larger demonstration facility in Shanghai this year. Plans call for the launch of the first commercial operation in China by 2014.

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