The Future of Aviation: Plant-Based Fuel

The first aircraft in history to use plant-based fuel on a flight filled with passengers has just been successfully flown in the United States: the historic flight took off at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and landed at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport. 

The United Airlines flight was in partnership with Virent, a Madison-based startup company founded back in 2002 that makes fuel out of plants for cars and airplanes. “The biggest benefit is to show the aerospace industry, as well as legislative bodies around the world that renewable aviation fuel is a reality,” said Dave Kettner, president of Virent. 

What’s more, the plant-based fuel is considered “100% drop-in,” meaning it can be used without having to make significant changes to current jet engines. In other words, the new fuel can easily replace its petroleum counterpart, with at least a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Virent has not fully commercialized its fuel yet as it is still in need of certain approvals. Kettner believes this will happen in the next few months, particularly after the success of a second plant-fueled flight, which could soon allow airlines to opt for plant-based fuel, a move that could change the future of aviation — forever and for the betterment of our planet.