AMSTERDAM, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A commercial KLM airlines
flight powered with synthetic fuel carried passengers from
Amsterdam to Madrid last month in a world first, the Dutch
government and the airline said on Monday.
Development and deployment of synthetic and biofuel
alternatives to kerosene are seen as key to longer-term efforts
to reduce greenhouse emissions from aviation.
The KLM aircraft used regular fuel mixed with 500 litres
(132 gallons) of synthetic kerosene produced by Royal Dutch
Shell with carbon dioxide, water and renewable energy
sources, along with regular fuel to power the aircraft, a
statement said.
"Making the aviation industry more sustainable is a
challenge facing us all," Dutch Infrastructure Minister Cora van
Nieuwenhuizen said. "Today, with this world first, we are
stepping into a new chapter of our aviation."
Sustainable fuel will potentially make the biggest
contribution to emissions reductions in new airline fleets,
Pieter Elbers, who heads KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France KLM
, said.
"The transition away from fossil fuel to durable
alternatives is one of the biggest challenges facing the
industry," Elbers said.
(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Toby Chopra)
