Abu Dhabi – Mubasher: Etihad Airways has launched the world’s first commercial flight, Boeing 787 plane, using locally produced sustainable fuel.

The flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam marks a major milestone in the development of clean, alternative aviation fuel, Arabian Business reported, citing the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a non-profit entity set up by Masdar Institute that is part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology.

“This is a significant milestone for the UAE and its key industries. Etihad is fully committed to this project which demonstrates a successful proof of concept that is local, viable, cost-effective and sustainable,” Tony Douglas, CEO of Etihad Aviation Group, said.

Sustainable fuel for the flight was produced from oil in Salicornia plants, which were grown on the two-hectare SEAS farm in Masdar City.

“Clean, alternative aviation fuels are an innovative and sustainable solution to significantly reducing harmful carbon emissions. The UAE is proud to be a pioneer in this domain,” Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said.