Poplar trees are already used for paper and timber production; could they now become yet another source of inedible biofuels? While this presents an opportunity for North America to move away from corn-based fuels, is this an efficient enough way to produce the fuel? And would this be sustainable enough?

This can become big if we can find a way to extract both fuel and paper out of the trees. That is to say, if the tree will be grown and cut down regardless for paper production, then let's find a way to get some fuel out of it as well.

The Dutch airline KLM will operate a demonstration flight on bio-kerosene using Boeing 747 equipment on 23rd November it was announced last week. According to the airline, during the test flight, one of the aircraft engines will be running on a fuel mixture made up of 50% sustainable bio-fuel and 50% traditional kerosene.

"This is an important step on the road to completely sustainable aviation," said KLM President & CEO Peter Hartman. "KLM has joined forces with its partners to vigorously stimulate the further development of alternative fuels. In so doing, we need to rely on the input and support of all the relevant parties: the business community, government and society at large.’’

"In the decades ahead, the airline industry will be largely dependent on the availability of alternative fuels in its drive to lower CO2 emissions," said KLM Managing Director Jan Ernst de Groot, who will present the plans on Wednesday afternoon at the 2009 National Innovation Relay at Valkenburg Airbase.

Last year Air New Zealand was the first one with a trial flight of a Boeing 747 using biodiesel made from Jatropha. It was followed up by Air Japan and Continental later in the year. KLM joins the list now with its own flight--this one using a 50-50 blend.