Virgin Australia Plans to Fuel Planes with Eucalyptus

Terminal U: Eucalyptus trees could become more than just the staple meal of Koala bears, as Virgin Australia announces ambitious plans to convert the foliage into “green” jet fuel, that won’t eat into the food supply.

The airline is exploring the possibilities of the native malee eucalypt tree as a sustainable biofuel of the future: part of a joint venture with several energy groups.

The partnership between Virgin Australia, locally-based Renewable Oil Corporation (ROC) and Canadian-based Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation (DYMTF) will work towards developing a commercial plant in Western Australia to create the biofuel.

Virgin said it hopes to have a demonstration unit ready by next year that will make bio-fuels for testing, certification and public trials, and a commercial-scale plant built by 2014.

Energy partner, Dynamotive has invested A$100 million over the past decade in the technology to produce fuel from the mallee eucalypt tree at commercial-scale plants in Canada.

Speaking in Brisbane on Wednesday, Virgin founder, Sir Richard Branson said eucalyptus trees could be a potential, green alternative to fossil fuels for Virgin Australia and other airlines.

He said: “Obviously Australia has a lot of eucalyptus trees and, if we are correct, it would be a wonderful fuel for the future which won’t eat into the food supply.” The Virgin Group’s profits are being invested into developing clean fuels, he said.

Airlines are under mounting pressure to cut their carbon emissions and reduce their dependency on fossil fuels. Crude oil accounts for up to about a third of operating expenses for today’s airlines. The aviation industry aims to stabilise its carbon emissions from 2020.

Airlines have focused efforts on a variety of potential biofuels, sourced from jatropha and camelina plants, household waste and even algae. KLM recently announced plans to operate its first biofuel flights in September with paying passengers, using recycled vegetable oil.

Thomson Airways expects to become the first UK airline to fly passengers on sustainable biofuel, with a flight from Birmingham to Palma on July 28, once certification has been received.