Airline travel is FAR from green, yet on Monday a KLM 747 powered one of its four engines using half US-sourced biofuel and half conventional Jet fuel. This hour-long flight is unique in many ways, namely, because it is one of the first green flights to carry passengers: 40 including the flight crew, the Dutch economic affairs minister and the KLM CEO.
Now spearheading a SkyEnergy Consortium to further develop biofuels, KLM is taking a leadership position to both research and develop more future-friendly travel. KLM contines to test the technology and hopes to use it on commercial flights within the next few years.
Although the aviation industry has a long way to go in reducing their carbon footprint, it is encouraging to see strides and continued innovation toward creating a greater sustainability in airline travel.