Beijing: The United States and China launched
a research venture on Wednesday to develop biofuels for use by
Chinese airlines based on algae or oily nuts and said an
inaugural flight could come as early as this year.
The announcement of a series of research partnerships
follows a pledge this week by the governments at a high-level
meeting to cooperate closely in renewable energy, which both
said was essential to fight climate change and could spur new
industries.
"Renewable energy development is central to our
cooperation with China," David Sandalow, a US Assistant
Secretary of energy, said at a conference on renewable fuel.
The two sides signed a series of research partnerships
between Boeing Co, US government agencies and Chinese research
institutions and state companies including Air China Ltd and
PetroChina Ltd.
The first flight in China using biofuels could happen
this year, and the fuel could be in use in commercial aviation
in three to five years, said Al Bryant, Boeing`s vice
president for research and technology in China. He said four
test flights using biofuels have been flown successfully in
the United States.
"Today we`ve proven it can be flown," Bryant said. "It`s
a matter of scaling it up so it can be commercialised."
PTI
