Deutsche Lufthansa to launch first passenger biofuel flights

(ADPnews) - Nov 30, 2010 - Deutsche Lufthansa (ETR:LHA) on Monday said it will launch the world's first commercial passenger flight using biofuel in the first half of 2011.

The project is backed by the government within the framework of its aviation research programme aimed at underpinning the sustainability of air traffic.

Lufthansa will introduce a six-month trial with an Airbus A321 aircraft on scheduled commercial flights in April 2011. Pending certification, one of the aircraft's engines will use a 50/50 mix of biofuel and traditional kerosene.

The primary purpose of the project is to conduct a long-term trial to determine the effect of biofuel on engine performance, Lufthansa said.

During the six months trial, Lufthansa will save around 1,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions, Lufthansa CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber said.

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