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China will launch its first flight using aviation biofuel this year after signing an agreement with US aviation giant Boeing in Beijing, reported Reuters.
Boeing agreed to collaborate on the launch with carrier Air China and oil major PetroChina , which will provide the jatropha-based fuel feedstock for the project.
Al Bryant, vice-president of Boeing's research and technology department in China, said the new fuel was expected to be commercially viable within three to five years.
"We believe in three to five years we should see a portion of fuel in commercial aviation (using biofuel), but a lot has to be done," he said.
"We've proven it can be flown and it is a matter of scaling it up to make it commercially viable."
Aviation is responsible for about two percent of total global greenhouse emissions, and the entire industry aims to become carbon neutral by 2050 through the use of alternative fuels.
China aims to replace at least 15 percent of total diesel and gasoline consumption with biofuel by 2020.
Cargonews Asia
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