An association of Japanese airlines and other entities announced an initiative on Wednesday aimed at enabling the use of biofuels to power passenger jets by 2020, in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.

Launched in May by 33 companies and organizations to develop and use second-generation aviation fuel, the initiative hopes to work out an implementation plan by next April.

Participants in the body include Boeing Co., the University of Tokyo, Japan Airlines Corp. and All Nippon Airways Co., with the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry joining as an observer.

The initiative will seek to use household waste and algae to produce biofuels as it is difficult in Japan to secure edible plants such as corn and sugar cane in large quantities for such a purpose.

Currently biofuels are expensive compared with jet fuel.