Mustard Plants Fueling Jets...Petroleum-Based Alternative Reduces 68% Carbon Emissions

The aviation industry is responsible for a huge amount of CO2 emissions. According to a report from the University of Georgia, the aviation industry is responsible for 2.5% of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. The primary reason for the aviation industry’s emissions is, of course, copious amounts of petroleum-based jet fuel burnt all day every day.

Scientist Puneet Dwivedi claims that a fuel derived from a mustard plant, can replace petroleum-based jet fuel and reduce carbon emissions by 68%. The technical name for the mustard plant is brassica carinata and it is an oilseed crop meaning it is grown specifically for the oil extracted from its seeds.

Brassica carinata is an excellent candidate for sustainable fuel as it can be grown in the south in the wintertime. Since the crop can be grown during the winter, it doesn’t compete with edible crops. The Biden administration has proposed a tax credit for the production of sustainable fuel and wants to drop the aviation industry’s emissions by 20% over the next decade.