Virgin Atlantic is promising that within a few years, they'll be able to make their long haul flights with half the carbon impact that their jet fuel creates now.
The key technology here captures gases from steel production and makes them into jet fuel. It's supposedly better than biofuels, in part because it doesn't raise the same land use concerns. Virgin's not making the transition on its own: the company is partnering with Boeing, Swedish Fuels, and New Zealand-based Lanza Tech.
The first flight using the fuel could take off within a year or a year and half, but the technology is still a long way from commercialization. Still, it’s nice to have a glimmer of hope that there's a jet fuel alternative besides biofuels.
