What's so special about Virgin Atlantic's biofuel?

Question

According to the AP, Virgin Atlantic carried out the world's first flight of a commercial aircraft powered with biofuel on Sunday in an effort to show it can produce less carbon dioxide than normal jet fuels. Sunday's flight was partially fueled with a biofuel mixture of coconut and babassu oil in one of its four main fuel tanks

Why does coconut and babassu oil produce less carbon dioxide than crude oil? I thought the good thing about biofuel was that it didn't come from a fossil source. If it produces less carbon dioxide, doesn't that translate to less energy, which means you burn more of it and end up with the same carbon dioxide?

Answer 1

One thing you can't fault with Branson, at least he is trying to do something and has the money and connections to get it done.

I remember just last year when this was just talk.

If the idea had come from the US it would have been ten years before we would have seen any movement, they would fill the media with the "New hope for Americas miracle fuel articles" then it would just vanish like all the rest have.

Answer 2

Bio-fuel as I want to see it, is a way to get ride of oils that we are now dumping in land fills, rivers, the oceans, and on the ground causing great harm-or could be great harm if it gets in the water supply. Sometimes we have to do better but in this case we have to make a hard choice. What I am against is deforestation to make bio fuels. Indonesia is one of the deadliest places to live as rain-forest is removed for palm oil. At times they are the biggest greenhouse producing nation!

Answer 3

Heck nothing new,I run my Benz everyday on waste vegetable oil.