Boeing and South African Airways develop jet fuel from tobacco

Boeing and South African Airways are developing fuel from a tobacco plant.

Produced by alternative jet fuel maker SkyNRG, the jet fuel will be made from a hybrid tobacco plant known as Solaris.

The nicotine-free plants are being test-farmed in South Africa with an expectation that the biofuel will be available in the the "next few years", according to the companies.

The country is attempting to cut its reliance on imported fuel with fuel producers starting to blend diesel and petrol with biofuel in October 2015.

The news follows recent revelations by the US Navy that it has developed technology to convert sea water into fuel.