Science & Technology

Scientists come up with new type of jet fuel made out of excrement

By T.K. Randall
January 2, 2024

Image: American Airlines Airbus A300-600
Credit: Eheik / (PD) These days scientists are always on the lookout for novel and effective new ways to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and this latest invention certainly qualifies as one of the most unique we've seen to date.

Based in Gloucestershire, England, Firefly Green Fuels has discovered a way to turn ordinary human waste into biofuel that is almost identical to the fuel typically used in jet planes.

Not only that, but it produces 92% less carbon dioxide than regular jet fuel.

"We wanted to find a really low-value feedstock that was highly abundant," said CEO James Hygate.

"And of course poo is abundant."To create the biofuel, the firm uses a process known as hydrothermal liquefaction which involves applying a combination of high pressure and heat to convert the waste into 'bio-crude' oil.

Kerosene can then be extracted from it using fractional distillation.

According to the company, it would take the sewage produced by around 10,000 people to create enough fuel to fly a typical passenger airliner from London to New York.

If the sewage produced in a year by the entire population of the UK was converted into biofuel, it would cover approximately 5% of the country's aviation fuel requirements.

Not a lot, certainly, but potentially a step in the right direction.

"That's pretty exciting," said Hygate. "There's a 10 per cent sustainable aviation fuel requirement, that's a legal mandate. And we could meet half of that with poo."

Source: Mail Online

Tags: Biofuel