A British firm has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by developing aircraft fuel entirely derived from human waste, marking a significant stride in the quest to reduce the carbon impact of air travel. Firefly Green Fuels, headquartered in Bristol, details that this innovative fuel results from a sophisticated process converting human waste into bio-crude, sharing chemical characteristics with conventional crude oil. The bio-crude undergoes further processing to become kerosene, a prevalent aviation fuel.
Independent tests have verified that this novel bio-kerosene closely mirrors the chemical composition of traditional fossil-based aviation fuel. The crucial distinction lies in its absence of fossil carbon.
The company elucidates its process, involving the utilization of human waste from water treatment and purification entities in a high-pressure reactor. This process yields, among other outputs, “bio-crude” following the refining stages.
James Hygate, the CEO of Firefly Green Fuels, underscores that human waste, including feces, serves as a “cost-effective and abundant raw material” with perpetual availability. He emphasizes the significance of producing this fuel as a practical and environmentally friendly substitute for fossil fuels in the aviation sector, which contributes to approximately 2% of global carbon emissions.
In an encouraging development, the UK Department for Transport has allocated a £2 million research grant to support this pioneering project.
Hygate highlights the substantial potential of this technology, illustrating, for instance, that the annual sewage produced by 10,000 people could power a round-trip passenger flight from London to New York.
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