Electric Airplane Sets Speed Record

Yes, there are road cars that can go faster than this airplane and for longer. But this is an achievement that is absolutely on the right path ahead: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/15/new-electric-airplane-sets-world-record-for-speed-w-video/ Autoblog Green Must be thanked for giving this achievement publicity.

The world's car manufacturers are making decent strides (albeit sometimes reluctantly) as far as fuel efficiency is concerned. But aircraft and watercraft have been a different cup of tea so far. All work in these areas has been on a small scale and laws pishing these companies to do something significant have been few. That said, airlines like Emirates, Japan Air Lines and Air India have done some work in reducing the amount of fuel burned in take offs and landing by tinkering with time schedules and similar. However, it is only technological breakthroughs in electric aircraft power that will help reduce the use of fossil fuels in the air significantly. That said, algae based fuels have been successfully tested by the Japanese as well as by the US Air Force, though, there again, carbon is emitted into the air. My hat's off to the Sky Spark team. Their website is: http://www.skyspark.eu/web/eng/index.php

Some Interesting News from Japan

Treehugger has two interesting posts that are well worth looking at. The first concerns Japan Airlines (the world's second largest airline) experimenting with and finding biofuel based on a combination of jatropha, algae and camelina oil more efficient in jets than fossil fuels. While these do still put carbon into the air, the reduced amounts of pollution from increased efficiency must be lauded. And, all three of these crops grow in India. Check the post out at: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/japan-airlines-finds-biofuel-more-efficient-than-petro-fuel-in-test-flight.php

The second post deals with a traditional Japanese farming practice including vegetable and rice cultivation called Satoyama: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/satoyama-japan-mountain-farms.php Funnily, modern Japanese rice cultivation methods which involve the heavy use of fertilizers are not really more efficient. I guess there is a lot of sense in using the old ways as far as agriculture is concerned.

Both of these posts have a relevance to South Asia. India in particular has taken to jatropha cultivation in a big way and there is a lot of potential for algae cultivation in filthy sewage carrying canals like Chennai's Cooum "River" and similar outlets in other cities. Instead of merely rotting and stinking the place up, India's shit could literally provide a valuable resource to help people fly. It would also reduce the amount of money that the country sends out to Abdullah land for buying jet fuel. Good idea? You bet!