The Consejo de Promocion Turistica de Mexico praised Mexico’s domestic carrier, Interjet, and Airbus for joining the ranks of Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines in leading the way for the international aviation industry by using more sustainable energy. Last month Interjet affirmed its commitment to sustainable energy in Mexico by conducting the first biofuel flight in the nation with an Airbus A320 aircraft using 30 percent biofuel developed from the jatropha plant.

The biofuel, made from locally-sourced jatropha harvested in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, is an oil-producing plant used for everything from basketmaking by the indigenous Seri people of Sonora to tanning leather.

Jatropha oil is currently used for making biodiesel fuel in Mexico, the Philippines, and Brazil and was cited as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production by Goldman Sachs in 2007.

The initiatives by these environmentally friendly airlines is in line with the National Development Plan mandated by the Mexican President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, which states that Mexico must include the environment as one of the elements for competitiveness, economic and social development.

With President Calderon's endorsement for sustainable energy in Mexico – including innovative alternatives to fossil fuels – environmentally friendly airlines Interjet and Airbus intend to speed up the development and commercialization of aviation biofuel in Mexico.

"The test flight is the realization of a two year ambition for Interjet to develop a production chain for renewable biofuel, with the purpose of creating a Mexican platform for sustainable aviation bio-kerosene," said Interjet President Miguel Aleman.

This is not the last time Mexico's positive push for more sustainable business practices goes at the forefront of sustainable development. As Mexico expects to produce 100 million liters of biodiesel by 2012 from its biodiesel pilot plant in Chiapas, the country is poised to become an even stronger leader in the coming years.