Baptiste Morin, edited by Gauthier Delomez 06:22, February 15, 2023

If many dream of the hydrogen plane, an innovation seems more credible in the air sector: that of the use of biofuels.

The government launched a working group on Tuesday to develop their use, but the problem is that the sector does not produce enough of them for multiple reasons.

This is a government objective in the air sector.

Innovation today more credible than the hydrogen plane, the use of biofuels is in the crosshairs of the executive, who launched a working group on the subject on Tuesday.

The problem is that today, the sector does not produce enough of it, although current airliner engines can already fly with this source of energy.

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In reality, biofuel is a fuel produced from cooking oils or animal fats.

"All current aircraft can use up to 50% of these sustainable fuels and this, without any modification", explains Nicolas Jeuland, fuel expert for the French aeronautical engine manufacturer Safran, at the microphone of Europe 1. "Neither the pilot, nor passengers can't see it because it's completely transparent."

Three to four times more expensive than kerosene

The key to the use of biofuel is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 80% over the entire life cycle of this product.

However, its price remains a problem for the sector because it costs three to four times more than kerosene.

To lower the price, production must increase.

A first step will be taken in 2025, a date on which the TotalEnergies biorefinery in Grandspuits, in Seine-et-Marne, will begin to produce biofuel in large numbers.

The site will produce 210,000 tons, explains Valérie Groff, director of renewable fuels at TotalEnergies.

"It will be the first French production of significant size," she adds.

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The other problem with this fuel lies in the European regulations in force.

Today, it only sets the mandatory biofuel rate at 1% on each flight, and its ambition for 2030 does not go beyond 6%.