Boeing, South African Airways to make jet fuel from tobacco

U.S. planemaker Boeing has teamed up with South African Airways to develop jet fuel from a tobacco plant as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions and promote green energy in Africa’s most advanced economy. The jet fuel will be made from a hybrid tobacco plant known as Solaris, which will be produced by alternative jet fuel maker SkyNRG, both companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday. Test farming of the plants, which are nicotine-free, is ongoing in South Africa, with biofuel output expected in the “next few years”, the companies said. “By using hybrid tobacco, we can leverage knowledge of tobacco growers in South Africa to grow a marketable biofuel crop without encouraging smoking,” Ian Cruickshank, SAA’s Group Environmental Affairs Specialist, said.