Mustard seed biofuel to be used in planes
‘Green’ product developed by Quebec firm
MONTREAL • Passengers aboard a United Airlines flight heading to Zurich from San Francisco on Friday will be propelled in part by a Canadian-developed biofuel derived from a type of mustard seed.
Agrisoma Biosciences Inc. is the Quebec firm behind the biofuel made from Carinata mustard, and company founder and president Steve Fabijanski believes it could help dramatically decarbonize the aviation industry.
“For me, this is a very good example of Canadian innovation and especially innovation from Quebec in terms of looking at green solutions,” he said in an interview from Paris.
Thirty per cent of the jet fuel used in the Boeing will be replaced by the biofuel, leading the company to proclaim the plane will emit 30 per cent less greenhouse gases than a regular flight.
Fabijanski said he believes his company’s product is the greenest biofuel ever used in a plane to date and that partnering with United Airlines will serve as a showcase for attracting new projects.
With a flight time of 11 hours, the California-toSwitzerland flight will be the longest transatlantic trip to date using biofuels and the second time Agrisoma’s mustard-based product will be used in a commercial flight.
Last Jan. 28, it was used in a 15-hour transpacific Qantas Airways flight between Australia and the United States. In that instance, the biofuel replaced 10 per cent of the jet fuel.
Currently, the technical and regulatory rules limit to 50 per cent the amount of biofuel that can be used in commercial aircraft.
“Fifty per cent is the goal (for the company) and at 50 per cent, you’re making a significant impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Fabijanski.
As the number of air passengers has steadily grown, the aviation industry has set as a goal reducing CO2 emissions by 50 per cent compared to 2005 levels. The industry is responsible for two to three per cent of global emissions.
United Continental Holdings Inc. said Thursday that it would cut its carbon emissions by half over 2005 levels, by 2050, matching an industry target set by the International Air Transport Association.
YOU’RE MAKING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN TERMS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.