This week, Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut has been attracting attention with his latest project ‘Hydrogenase’ – a futuristic design for modern buildings in the form of giant airships suspended under balloons covered in algae. These emission-free airships are powered entirely by hydrogen generated from sunlight and CO2 and are designed to hover over the South China Sea near Shanghai. Covered in flexible photovoltaic cells and wind turbines, Hydrogenase ships run on "micro-seaweed" and are designed to take off and land just about anywhere. While this may sound like a bizarre concept, Callebaut’s designs actually demonstrate just how much potential there is for the use of second generation biofuels in aviation. As Callebaut points out, the energy obtained by farmed algae is much greater than that of any current biodiesel or bioethanol production – he reckons 1000 litres of hydrogen can be farmed from just 330 grams of micro-seaweed generated chlorophyll. What’s more, algae can be grown in large quantities in water that would normally be undrinkable and uninhabitable, meaning its production can take place without competing with resources for food or water.

And just to prove it is possible, Lufthansa has announced its plans to start running its engines on some flights on a mixture of biofuel and kerosene within two years, making it one of the world’s first airlines to mix biofuel with traditional kerosene on commercial flights. Lufthansa’s principal aim is to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and costs by reducing their use of traditional aviation fuel, yet the initiative will also help in international efforts to move towards resource security by reducing our reliance on non-renewable fuels.

This week has also seen big developments in Brazil as an announcement came for the creation of Abraba – the Brazilian Alliance for Aviation Biofuels. The alliance centres its efforts on dialogues with creators of public policy, looking to promote the development and certification of sustainable biofuels for use in air transport.