Researchers look for alternative jet fuels (AP/CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

SEATTLE, Washington (AP) --
***
Government and corporate researchers are looking into ways to power commercial jet engines with alternative fuels, although many caution that widespread use could be years or even decades away.

Scientists face myriad obstacles, including the difficulty of producing, transporting and using massive amounts of these fuels under harsh conditions such as extreme cold. And for now at least, experts say many alternative jet fuels are more expensive than traditional ones.

"It's just so much easier to develop a fuel for automobile applications than for airplane applications," said Billy Glover, director of environmental performance for Boeing Co.
***
"The main challenge right now is economics," Dunn said. "Even though the price of petroleum is going up, biodiesel is still at a disadvantage economically. It simply costs more to produce."
***
In the immediate future, the focus remains on making traditional airplanes more fuel-efficient. Boeing says its new 787 jetliner, scheduled to enter service in 2008, promises to be as fuel-efficient per person as a hybrid car traveling with two passengers.
***
more: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/06/20/alternative.jet.fuel.ap/index.html

[Dead_Parrot]

1. Virgin were looking at this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=115&topic_id=35011

Subsequently disappeared from the radar, so to speak.

[Kolesar]

2. We should give the mail contracts back to the railroads

as a means of dealing with peak oil and greenhouse gasses.