The US government has unveiled a major new plan to boost the development of biofuels.
The US departments of Agriculture and Energy, along with the US Navy, have announced an investment of up to US$30 million in a public-private partnership to produce commercial-scale biofuels, as part of the Obama administration’s plan to boost the country’s energy security.
American aviation body, Airlines for America (A4A), said it welcomed the move.
“The new round of government investment strengthens the momentum to turn advanced aviation biofuels into reality, enhance America’s energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs,” said A4A’s Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Nancy Young. “The government support of a new bio-refinery moves us closer to our goal of making the fuels commercially viable and building on the industry’s impressive environmental record.”
The deployment of biofuels forms part of the aviation industry’s goal to carbon-neutral growth from 2020.
