World’s 1st hydrogen fuel-cell powered yacht, hemp airplane, rock snot to biomaterials, sisal-based thermal insulation, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of January 3rd

#4 Hemp airplane struggles to gain funding

In Ontario, Hempearth is raising funds to build the world’s first hemp airplane, and the company’s founder hopes to one day build the world’s first hemp spaceship.

Derek Kesek tells Anonymous News that at least three quarters of the plane will be made of hemp, replacing fiberglass used in conventional planes with a material 10 times stronger than steel. Wings, seats, pillows and the fuselage will all be made from hemp, and the plane will use biofuel made from hemp.

The plane has been under development for five years, but Anonymous News reports that the project has hit a funding snafu. Kesek apparently launched a GoFundMe to raise $125,000, but to date it has only raised $1,500. Kesek is undeterred, however, saying that the first trip for his hemp plane will originate in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and revealing that he hopes to one day build a hemp spaceship.
More on the story, here.