PARIS, June 21 (UPI) -- French energy company Total said it teamed up with the airline industry to explore the use of biofuels in the commercial transportation sector.
Total said the air transportation sector is responsible for about 2 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The French company said it was working with Airbus, Air France and Safran to find a way to ensure the aviation industry has a sustainable future.
"Manufacturers are fully mobilized to reduce the impact of air transport by all possible means," the company said in a Thursday statement. "As the aviation industry has no alternative to liquid fuels of fossil origin, the use of biofuels is essential for drastically reducing CO2 emissions."
Members of a European Energy Committee expressed support for further use of advanced biofuels through mandatory targets. Lawmakers said Thursday they reviewed the need to find a balance between alternative fuels and potential land use change.
Critics of biofuels said it is more expensive to produce than conventional fuels and could take up land otherwise designated for food crops. Advanced biofuels, however, are produced from waste material, algae or other sources that would not compete with food or feed crops.
Total did not indicate from where it would source its biofuels.
