Reuters reports that U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing has partnered with South African Airways in a project to develop jet fuel from a tobacco plant.
The nicotine-free tobacco plant, known as Solaris, is being developed by SkyNRG, an alternative jet fuel maker. It is hoped that the tobacco-based biofuel can be blended with diesel and other petroleum products to reduce the use of traditional fuels in airplanes. South African Airways has set October 2015 as a target date for its initial use of tobacco biofuel in its operations.
South Africa is not only a major hub for the global biofuels industry, but a leading producer of tobacco products, making the country a logical home for this interesting experiment.
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