picture of technology: KLM to use cooking oil for fuel

Thursday, June 23, 2011

KLM to use cooking oil for fuel

KLM has enough biokerosene for 200 flights but aims to source more

The Dutch airline KLM says it plans to use recycled cooking oil on 200 flights between Paris and Amsterdam.

The fuel, biokerosene, is derived from used frying oil, which has to be tested to meet the same technical specifications as traditional kerosene.

The move is part of the airline's efforts to secure a positive recommendation from the Dutch Sustainability Board.

Airlines are under EU pressure to cut their carbon emissions by 3% by 2012.

KLM's interest in biofuels dates back to 2009, when it ran a test flight carrying 40 people, including the then Dutch economics affairs minister.

The 90-minute flight was majority powered by traditional aviation fuel, with just one of the its four engines powered 50% by biofuel.

These flights will use 50% of all the fuel for 200 journeys.

KLM said its supplies - which are collected from hotels, restaurants and factories before being sent to the US for refining - were currently only enough for that number of journeys.

KLM's managing director, Camiel Eurlings, said it was aiming to go much further than that: "The route to 100% sustainable energy is enormously challenging. We need to move forward together to attain continuous access to sustainable fuel."

The biokerosene flights are expected to start in September on some or all of the six flights a day between the two cities, although the company needs authorisation before they can go ahead.

This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.