Posted on 12/29/2023 4:56:24 PM PST by algore
A new aviation company has developed a type of jet fuel made entirely from human sewage.
Chemists at a lab in Gloucestershire have turned the waste into kerosene.
James Hygate, Firefly Green Fuels CEO, said: "We wanted to find a really low-value feedstock that was highly abundant. And of course poo is abundant."
Independent tests by international aviation regulators found it was nearly identical to standard fossil jet fuel.
Firefly's team worked with Cranfield University to examine the fuel's life cycle carbon impact. It concluded that Firefly's fuel has a 90% lower carbon footprint than standard jet fuel.
Mr Hygate, who has been developing low-carbon fuels in Gloucestershire for 20 years, said although the new fuel was chemically just like fossil-based kerosene, it "has no fossil carbon, it's a fossil-free fuel".
"Of course energy would be used (in production), but when looking at the fuel's life cycle, a 90% saving is mind-blowing, so yes, we have to use energy but it is much lower compared to the production of fossil fuels," he added.
Across the world, flying contributes around 2% of global carbon emissions, which contribute to climate change.
It is a small fraction, but growing fast. And taking carbon out of aviation is one of the hardest challenges.
Electric planes are being developed, with a company in the Cotswolds promising hydrogen-electric powered flights for a dozen passengers by 2026.
But it will be years, decades maybe, before mass air travel will be powered by completely new technology.
So finding new, greener ways to make kerosene without using fossil fuels has become a global gold rush.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
the question is cost.
They should skip a step and simply place large orders at Taco Bell.
If this is a viable and profitable new application of technology, then good. If this is first some virtue signaling about “carbon footprint” garbage, then it will rightly fail.
Damn, airports already smell bad enough from the current jet fuel.
Does it take much energy to turn the waste into kerosene?
The Airline Slogan is “Go while you go”
Talk about a certain type of show!
Dare I ask what the exhaust smells like?
Tell them he really knows his sh!t.
Replace all the economy class seats with commodes, replace the airline food with Taco Bell, and we can have the first self-fueling airplane!
That should take the curl out of their hair!
Hello, this is your captain speaking, we are fogged in and will have to divert to LAX but we are running short on fuel. Would rows 1-15 please make your way to the lavatory.
LAXitive.
Gotta be the stuff those Limey's eat. It's probably the stuff that makes them talk so funny.
jet poopulsion?
Lol- serve nothing but prune juice to drink
I’m thinking it must. I can see trying to collect the methane but turning it into jet fuel seems like a stretch.
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