Truths Behind the Tale
One day the oil really will run out. Not the vegetable oil but the crude oil that we extract from underground. That's the oil that petrol and diesel comes from; the fuel that powers our cars, trains, buses, motorbikes and aeroplanes. There's only a limited amount of oil and, as Mum always says about cake, 'when it's gone, it's gone'! So we need to be resourceful, just like the five little beans, and find other power supplies for our BeanyJets.
Some vehicles already use biofuel, which comes from things that were recently living, like plants. Biofuel can be a gas - like your flatulence, wind, trumps, farts, toots, bottom burps, or whatever else you call it! - that is usually made by tiny bugs eating natural matter like beans or even cow poo in big warm tanks called digesters. Biofuel can also be a liquid - like the vegetable oil your chips were fried in.
Bioethanol, a liquid usually made from corn or sugar cane, is the most common biofuel at the moment, but it freezes at high altitudes so it's not the best fuel for aeroplanes! Some aviation companies are developing biofuels more suitable for aircraft right now. The first test flight in February this year was a success when a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 took to the skies partly powered by coconut and babassu oil. Next on the agenda is biojet from algae.
Biofuel is renewable because plants can be grown and harvested again and again, so it won't run out like crude oil. It can also be better for our world than crude oil if it's produced in a way that makes sure wildlife and food resources are protected. And there's obviously no point growing plants for biofuel then harvesting and processing them using petrol or diesel powered machines! That's where cow poo could come in handy again.
As you can see there's still a lot to learn and while biofuels are a step in the right direction we could definitely all do with flying less anyway!
Interesting Links
Centre for Alternative Technology
BioEthanol for Sustainable Transport