Algae Fuel Aircraft Debut

European aerospace firm EADS (Airbus’ parent company) is just hours away from unveiling a pioneering algae fuel aircraft, according to a recent statement.

The renewable energy-powered aircraft is set to be showcased at the Berlin Air Show which opens on 8 June and runs until the 13 June. According to comments made by a company representative, such technology has not been seen flying in public before.

“At the ILA (Internationale Luft- und Raumfahrt Ausstellung - International Aerospace Exhibition), we are going to fly for the first time a craft with biofuel that has been made 100% from algae. That is a world premiere”, EADS’ Jean Botti told German publication Die Welt.

He continued:“We need a paradigm shift in the aviation industry. We soon need an alternative to kerosene. If 10% of our fleet is flying with biofuel in 2040, I would be extremely happy.”

Algae-Powered Aircraft

The same German report referred to the algae-powered aircraft as a helicopter, but another company representative later advised news agency AFP that this technology would only feature in traditional aircraft designs.

Separately, reports have suggested it will be a modified Diamond DA42 – a twin-engined composite design that’s now around eight years old.

This aircraft features a carbon composite within its airframe and, in 2004, a DA42 Twin Star set an air travel record by becoming the first diesel-powered aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Algae Fuel

Algae has multiple benefits as a fuel production source. As opposed to other alternative fuel sources, it does not require land that would otherwise be used for food crops. Furthermore, it consumes large volumes of CO2 as it grows, and this makes it a natural remover of carbon dioxide from the air.

Earlier this year, DARPA - the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – laid out plans to start large-scale and low-cost algae fuel production.