MEXICO: World's first transatlantic biofuel flight departs Mexico City

Record ID: 303419

  • Title: MEXICO: World's first transatlantic biofuel flight departs Mexico City
  • Date: 3rd August 2011
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (AUGUST 01, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF "AERO MEXICO" WORLD'S FIRST TRANSATLANTIC PLANE FUELLED BY BIOFUEL TAXIING MAN ON BIOFUEL TRUCK
  • Embargoed: 18th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico, Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Transport,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA8JUDCWCHU82ZOVL0GMM5GRWWT
  • Story Text: The world's first commercial biofuel flight left Mexico city on Monday (August 01) for an 11-hour overnight journey to the Spanish capital, Madrid.
    Some 200 people were aboard the Boeing 777-200 flight, which ran on 70 percent traditional fuel and 30 percent biofuel, according to Aeromexico, who operated the flight.
    "Aeromexico will be the first airline in the world to carry out a flight with passengers using biofuel. That is why we appreciate that the energy minister and environment minister are here with us as honorary witnesses in this effort. The mix we'll use is composed by 70 percent traditional fuel and 30 percent biofuel which will be supplied by ASA, The Airports and Auxiliary Services, whom we thank for their support in this project," said Aeromexico CEO, Andres Conesa before the flights departure.
    The biofuel used for the flight was derived from a locally-sourced jatropha plant being farmed for aviation in Mexico.
    Environment Minister Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada said Mexico was committed to protecting the environment.
    "Agreements reached in Cancun are historic because they really obtained support from the assembly so that countries around the world fight against climate change. And one of the agreements, which is so simple but has not yet been achieved, is the protection of forests around the world, Mexico is doing this. The second (agreement from Cancun) was that the global aviation sector could make the first efforts to change tendencies," he said.
    Monday night's flight came one year after Mexico and Spain signed an agreement on the use of biofuels in aviation in 2010.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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