So where's the followup? How much of that pledged $3 billion has Branson actually ponied up to date, and what are his results?
Virgin's Richard Branson Bares His Business 'Secrets' | WBUR & NPR
Virgin's Richard Branson Bares His Business 'Secrets' | WBUR & NPR
[Oct 10, 2012]: BRANSON: Well, look, I mean, about three or four [actually six] years ago, at the Clinton Global Initiative, I pledged that 100 percent of any profits we made from our airline businesses we would invest in alternative fuels. And what we've been trying to do is come up with a fuel that we can power our planes by that emits no carbon.2006: Branson pledges $3bn transport profits to fight global warming | Environment | The Guardian
MONTAGNE: And you expect that to become a reality how soon?
BRANSON: I would hope that there would be enough fuel produced that, you know, most Virgin planes in four or five years time would be flying on clean fuels.
Sir Richard Branson joined the growing ranks of global warming activists yesterday by committing $3bn (£1.6bn) to tackle climate change. The billionaire pledged all profits from his Virgin air and rail interests over the next 10 years to combating rising global temperatures. However, the estimated $3bn will not go to charities and will be invested in a new branch of Sir Richard's ever-expanding Virgin conglomerate, Virgin Fuels. Much of the investment will focus on biofuels, an alternative to oil-based fuels made from plants.July 2012: Virgin America: All Aboard the Party Plane - Businessweek
Offering craft beers and snazzy outfits still might not be enough to overcome Virgin America’s biggest problem: It’s an airline. The cost of fuel has more than doubled since Virgin was founded in 2004, and the company has not had a profitable year in the five years since planes officially took off.
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