Last week, the New York Times’ DotEarth blog published excerpts of a conversation between Richard Branson, airline tycoon and space-travel enthusiast, and Alan Murry of the Wall Street Journal. Branson is a self-made billionaire with a flare for the exotic, but he also seems to have a relatively keen awareness of energy issues as well. 

Some of the highlights included his desire to implement change in the carbon footprint of his own airline, Virgin. In fact, by 2020 “he hopes that fuel for his companies’ jet fleets will be derived from algae or consist of isobutanol, derived from sugars. The advantage of isobutanol, he said, is that unlike some other biofuels, it does not freeze at 15,000 feet and continues burning very well in the subzero temperatures as high as 35,000 feet.” Branson also has invested $25 million in a geo-engineering project seeking to “to pull carbon dioxide out of the air,” a feat which would make a global emissions policy much easier to accomplish in the short term. 

Branson also seems to have a firm grasp on the trials and tribulations facing President Obama as he attempts to change the way the United States uses energy. Even when “the world just came to a full stop on this issue” under the Bush administration, Branson believes that Obama will ultimately be able to navigate the “convoluted” world of Washington politics and succeed. With the climate talks in Copenhagen just over a month away, the anticipation is growing intense over just how willing industrialized and developing nations will be to cooperate on this issue. 

[image via Toby Barnes]