At England’s Farnborough Air Show, engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada announced that it is leading an industry-university research effort to investigate the potential use of biofuels in small- and medium-sized turbine engines.

The fuels would not compete with human food sources and could include jatropha (a succulent plant) and algae-derived biofuels, as well as biobutanol, which is derived from the fermentation of livestock feeds.

“We aim to have a fuel-flexible engine and develop technologies that will allow us to offer aircraft manufacturers innovative and green power solution,” said Walter Di Bartolomeo, Pratt & Whitney Canada’s vice president of engineering.

The green fuels project will last four years and is sponsored by the governments of Canada and India.