Qantas to use biofuel blend on Los Angeles flights

Qantas aircraft based in Los Angeles will use a renewable biofuel blend from 2020. The airline said Friday it would buy 8m gallons of the fuel each year, for the next decade, from US bio-energy company SF Preston. Qantas trialled domestic biofuel flights in 2012. The fuel is 50% renewable and is produced from non-food plant oils, blended with 50% traditional jet fuel. The biofuel would be used by Qantas' Airbus A380, Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 787-9 long-haul aircraft departing Los Angeles. Compared to standard jet fuel, the biofuel blend emits half the amount of carbon emissions per gallon over its life cycle, Qantas CE of international and freight Gareth Evans said. "Through our biofuel program we are also exploring renewable jet fuel opportunities in Australia," Evans said. <br/>