Professional Engineering

German airline Lufthansa is to launch the world’s first ever scheduled commercial passenger flights using biofuel.  

An International Aero Engines powered Airbus A321 aircraft will commence daily flights between Hamburg and Frankfurt in April next year using a biofuel blend made from 50% hydrotreated vegetable oil. When it is consumed, fuel made from the biomass material emits the CO2 it naturally absorbs when it grows, thereby helping neutralise overall CO2 emissions.

The flights will initially continue for a period of six months as part of the ‘Burn Fair’ research and technology project to study the long-term impact of sustainable biofuels on aircraft performance. Airbus’ role is to provide technical assistance and to monitor the fuel properties.  

Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Lufthansa chief executive, said: “We see great opportunities in the use of bio-synthetic kerosene. But we are first gathering experience with it in daily practice.” 

Airbus said the biofuel flights were a significant step forward in its pursuit of a sustainable future for aviation. “Airbus is bringing together feedstock producers, fuel refiners and airlines, and with today’s announcement of passenger flights we have taken yet another step towards making this real,” said Tom Enders, Airbus president and chief executive.

The biofuel is being provided by Finland-based Neste Oil, under a long term agreement with Lufthansa. The fuel will only be produced from sustainable feedstock sources to make sure that the bio-feedstock does not compete for food, water or land.