SAA and Boeing to develop tobacco plant jet fuel
02 / 03 / 2015
SOUTH African Airways (SAA) and Boeing have joined forces to develop an environmentally-friendly jet fuel produced from a new type of tobacco plant, writes Thelma Etim, deputy editor.
The carrier and the planemaker will utilise sustainable jet fuel producer SkyNRG’s hybrid plant Solaris, which farmers can grow as an energy crop instead of traditional tobacco.
The carrier and the planemaker will utilise sustainable jet fuel producer SkyNRG’s hybrid plant Solaris, which farmers can grow as an energy crop instead of traditional tobacco.
Test farming of the plants, which are effectively nicotine-free, is under way in the region, with biofuel production expected from large and small farms in the next few years, says a company statement.
"South Africa is leading efforts to commercialise a valuable new source of biofuel that can further reduce aviation’s environmental footprint and advance the region’s economy,” says Miguel Santos, managing director for the African region at Boeing International.
"By using hybrid tobacco, we can leverage knowledge of tobacco growers in South Africa to grow a marketable biofuel crop without encouraging smoking," enthuses Ian Cruickshank, environmental affairs specialist for SAA.
