Finnair Flight To New York Powered With Recycled Cooking Oil

In conjuction wit the UN Climate Summit taking place in New York on September 23, Finnair will operate its flight from Helsinki to New York on September 23, 2014, with an Airbus A330 using enviornmentally sustainable biofuel.

The biofuel powering the flight from Helsinki to New York is partly manufactured from cooking oil recycled from restaurants. Finnair aims to lead the way in sustainable air travel by providing the industry with an example of a biofuel alternative to ordinary jet fuel that significantly reduces net greenhouse gas emissions while also being sustainable in its own right.

Most of an airline's environmental impact arises from aircraft emissions during flight, and switching to a more sustainable fuel source can reduce net CO2 emissions by 50 to 80 per cent.

And though it is a better option environmentally, sustainable biofuel is not yet a financially viable choice for many airlines as it has more than twice the price of conventionally produced jet fuel. The biofuel for the September 23 flight was provided by SkyNRG Nordic,  a joint venture between SkyNRG and Statoil Aviation.

Along with its partners, Finnair is also looking into the possibility of establishing a biofuel hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair is active in the Nordic Initiative for Sustainable Aviation as well, a group of airlines, airport operators, manufacturers, and government ministries working to accelerate the development of sustainable biofuel for aviation in Nordic countries.

Finnair and its partners insist on the cultivation of biofuel sources that neither compete with food production nor damage biodiversity.