Mary-Louise Hoffman
Boeing has flown its ecoDemonstrator 757 airplane using a green diesel product designed to produce 80 percent less carbon emissions than traditional petroleum aviation fuel.
The company said Friday it collaborated with NASA and TUI Group to conduct a test flight of the aircraft Wednesday from Seattle to the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
The aircraft used a Diamond Green Diesel product during the demonstration.
“With the ecoDemonstrator, Boeing looks to reduce environmental impact through the airplane’s lifecycle, from improving fuel efficiency and cutting carbon emissions to recycling production materials,” said Mike Sinnett, vice president of product development at Boeing’s commercial airplanes business.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Honeywell International, Pratt & Whitney and EPIC Aviation also helped with the green diesel flight last week.
The company also tested an energy harvesting method to power the ecoDemonstrator’s electronic windows and installed a carbon fiber aisle stand manufactured with a three-dimensional printer.
The tests are part of Boeing’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation contract with NASA.
