Researchers develop Jet fuel from human faeces

Gloucestershire/England: Researchers across the world are in pursuit of fuels that are green, cheap and abundant. The world has been discussing the effects of climate change due to human activities for long and has started planning steps to mitigate rising temperatures across the globe. Mitigating rising temperatures means a big no to fossil fuels and that is why the world is working with its might for greener fuels.

The efforts have led researchers to greater results, such as gathering solar energy.

Now, an aviation firm, Firefly Green Fuels, has developed jet fuel entirely from human faeces!!!

The aviation firm has efficiently converted human sewage into kerosene, reports BBC.

The report says that international aviation regulators independently tested the new fuel and concluded that it resembles conventional jet fuel. Firefly collaborated with Cranfield University to study the life cycle carbon impact of the fuel and found that it has a 90 per cent lesser carbon footprint than standard jet fuel.

James Hygate, Firefly Green Fuels CEO, said that though the new fuel has a close resemblance in its chemical properties with fossil-based kerosene, it is truly a fossil-free fuel.

He said that though energy is needed to produce the fuel, it is also much lower than the production of fossil fuels.

The global aviation industry contributes approximately 2 per cent of total carbon emissions. Though the percentage is relatively low, it is increasing rapidly.

Hygate collaborated with a chemist from the Imperial College of London, Dr Sergio Lima. Together they worked to create, first, the “bio-crude”, which looks black, oily, thick and gloopy. The final fuel is developed from that.

Hygate said that they wanted a highly abundant and low-value feedstock. “And of course, poo is abundant,” BBC quotes him.