Branson plans trials of 'green' fuelled passenger plane

It seems like once again Richard Branson seems to be the only one concerned with the notion of aviation pollution. Over the recent years he has put forward the argument that it is not the just the typical forms of transport as cars, buses and boats that emit these harmful carbon emissions but also air planes too.

Aviation is responsible for 2.6% of carbon emissions in the EU, but the effect of these greenhouse gases on the climate is likely to be much greater, because they are produced high in the atmosphere.

Sir Richard, who has already announced that his Virgin Trains will be switching from diesel power to biodiesel by 2009, said Virgin Atlantic had teamed up with Boeing, the engine maker GE Aviation and his new venture, Virgin Fuels, to work on ways to reduce greenhouse emissions from flights.

A total of 15 new planes going by the name of the Dream Line 787 will be constructed over the battle for the future of air travel as it it is set to double over the next 20 years.

Although Sir Richard has argued that biofuels are a greener alternative to traditional jet fuels because they reduce the overall greenhouse emissions that cause climate change, many environmentalists claim production is energy intensive and that growing the necessary crops could lead to deforestation in some areas.

Even though this may occur, it is still a step to at least cutting the amount of CO2 emissions and controlling the effects of global warming.