Algae-based fuel for aviation

Boeing and PetroChina, along with Air China, are looking at the possibility of commercial flights in the future being powered by biofuel made from algae and jatropha. Boeing and Air China hope to conduct a biofuel test flight by May next year.
Several tests will be conducted, each time experimenting with different types of biofuels on different engines.
The US aerospace giant invests some US$500,000 each year into a joint research and development laboratory with the Chinese Academy of Sciences focusing on commercial applications for biofuel. The lab is located in Qingdao City, Shandong province, which has plentiful algae resources.
Global Times reports Matt Ganz, vice president of Boeing research and technology, as saying,"The Chinese biofuel project will be based on (utilizing) algae and jatropha." Jatropha, a wild green shrub, grows well on a wide range of terrains in hot climates.