Finally, mankind has the answer to that eternal question,
how many coconuts does it take to go from London to Amsterdam? The answer: 150,000 -- converted into
biofuel and poured into a special 747, of course. Virgin Atlantic completed its first biofuel tests yesterday with solid results, using a mix of 20 percent coconut oil and 80 percent jet fuel to power a 747 -- a first for the airline industry. There's still a long way to go, of course -- only one of the jet's four tanks carried the alternative fuel, and even Richard Branson admits that giant coconut plantations devoted to airline fuel probably aren't workable -- but despite harsh criticism from skeptics, it's still an impressive achievement. Branson says that although this test didn't use a viable fuel, it's a landmark proof-of-concept -- and that next-generation biofuels made from
algae may one day power all our aircraft. Sure, that'd be nice, but we'll stick with tiki-power -- anyone have a drink umbrella?
[Via
The Register]
posted February 25th 2008 5:27PM
A fully loaded 747 weighs nearly a million pounds and can carry more than 400 people and a pile of cargo at more than 500mph. You're gonna burn a lot of fuel moving that much mass at that speed, there's no way around it.
The fuel consumption sounds obscene, but if you compare it to 400 individual cars and SUVs traveling the same distance it looks a lot more favorable. Particularly when you factor in that the plane can travel in a straight line from point A to point B, and doesn't sit idling in traffic.
Coconut and jet fuel sounds like a drink you can order at Sandals.
.... consisting of Red Bull, Everclear, and stale pina colada
what, clasped tightly in their flaps?
This is interesting on some level, but sustainable? I highly doubt that for the time being. I agree with some of the earlier comments, Jeff's being one of them. Only 20% was contributed by the coconuts, all 150,000 of them--so unnecessary. There are other problems that are meant to go hand in hand with sustainability, such as alleviating poverty, stopping environmental degradation and more. I don't 150,000 coconuts for such a cause helped any of those other problems. Here's to hoping progress shall be made.
Perhaps waste/fecal matter on the plane could be converted into fuel? Lol. (Half a joke.)
Actually, corn was initially used because they were grown in excess anyway (farmers were receiving subsidies). And coconut is food...
Nevertheless, I don't disagree with the sentiment that his idea is on the right track.
Damn you Virgin! Use something that isn't used in other products. http://www.coconut.com/museum/uses.html
Use something that no one buys, like Chia Pets. No one is going to eat them and they grow back after you cut them. Besides, you can put the slogan on the side of the plane. "Fueled Entirely by: Cha Cha Cha Cha Chia!"
I'll drink to that.
This is great news, now instead of that lengthy and complex process of extracting oil from the earth or under the sea, we can chop down rainforest and plant coconut trees. Too bad it pollutes just as much... wait what were we trying to accomplish here, I forgot?
They could grip it by the husk.
All that bio fuel malarky - pft..
Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5j6hcIqbCsXEdsaCMSLKSWGgRGs8A
Poor being priced out of food market: UN official
Feb 11, 2008
UNITED NATIONS - Many of the world's poorest people are unable to buy food because of soaring prices resulting from severe weather, shorter harvests, higher oil prices and the increasing use of food crops to produce biofuel, the head of the UN food agency said.
.... "So, for example, palm oil in Africa, which is used for biofuel, now it's being priced at the fuel price which people cannot afford."
.... In southern Africa, Swaziland is in the sixth year of a severe drought and in Haiti people are eating mudcakes because they cannot afford food.
Airlines fail on all counts. This little test with coconuts just put even more jet fuel in our bodies.
But... Will it blend???
Oooooh that explains it. I thought it was a little weird everyone smelled like they were working on their tans at this time of year. That or I was having flash backs to Gilligan's Island.
Well, i HAD a lovely pair of Coconuts.
Jerk.
if one day I become marooned on a deserted island, I will make my own coconut biofuel and get off the island and then thank Sir Richard Branson for the idea
Dear Virgin. Coconut oil is not an environmentally friendly fuel when poor tropical countries cut down all of their rainforests to switch to lucrative coconut production. Better luck next time.