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Could planes be fuelled by forestry waste?

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 31 Oct 2024, 8:57am
(Getty Pictures)
(Getty Pictures)

Could planes be fuelled by forestry waste?

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 31 Oct 2024, 8:57am

A sustainable method of producing jet-fuel could be on the horizon for New Zealand air carriers.  

A study commissioned by Air New Zealand found it's possible to create jet fuel out of forestry industry waste like sawdust, slash, and offcuts.  

Through chemical processes, the waste is turned into ethanol and then kerosene.  

Air New Zealand's Kiri Hannifin told Ryan Bridge that it’s a global phenomenon moving at great pace. 

She said that at the moment there’s about 30 manufacturers in the world, and they’ll need around 5000 to 7000 by 2050 to ensure sufficient supply.  

Hannifin says it’s taken a while to get off the ground since the process is so technical, but it will start to move pretty quickly from here. 

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