At a joint presentation in London, European low-cost carrier Wizz Air announced it has set a goal of powering 10% of its flights with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030, while its UK SAF partner Firefly unveiled plans for an initial sewage-to-SAF demo plant on the east coast of England. The fast-growing airline is looking to expand its current fleet of 206 Airbus narrowbody fleet to around 500 by the end of the decade and meeting its aspirational SAF target will require a significant ramp-up of SAF production and deployment, it acknowledged. Adopting a portfolio approach, Wizz Air has entered ..read more

SATAVIA has claimed significant reductions in climate-warming contrails from a range of commercial jet types during a 10-month test programme conducted last year on 65 flights operated by 12 airlines. The UK-based company said route optimisation developed using its DECISIONX contrail software had collectively avoided over 2,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), or an average of more than 40 tonnes per flight, with minimal impact on aircraft fuel consumption or flight distances. Contrails are formed in specific meteorological conditions which cause vapour to freeze around soot partic ..read more

US sustainable aviation fuel production startup DG Fuels has selected Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology co-developed by Johnson Matthey and energy giant bp for its proposed $4 billion SAF plant near the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Subject to approval being received this year, the St. James Parish facility could be in operation by 2028 and would be the largest announced FT SAF production operation in the world, says DG Fuels, with a planned capacity of 13,000 barrels per day, or around 120-135 million gallons of SAF annually. The FT CANS technology is feedstock agnostic although the facility ..read more

Carriers meeting at the annual Airlines for Europe (A4E) Summit in Brussels called on policymakers to “supercharge” the production of sustainable aviation fuels across Europe through the introduction of competitive tax credits and the funding and support for nascent, emerging and established SAF projects or fuel producers. It is crucial that Europe supports affordable and reliable domestic production, they said in a “call to action”, particularly in the face of significant market pressure from global players outside of Europe. Meanwhile, A4E member Lufthansa Group has reported more than one m ..read more

Air New Zealand is seeking partnerships with emerging providers of sustainable aviation fuel as part of an expanding programme to reduce its flight emissions through industrial collaboration. Having previously linked with established SAF producers and both aircraft and powertrain manufacturers the airline now wants SAF innovators and start-ups as potential suppliers of low-carbon fuel, which it expects will comprise about 20% of its requirements by 2030. Air New Zealand’s search for SAF partners follows the recent release of a study by Ara Ake, New Zealand’s Future Energy Centre, which examin ..read more

The UK aerospace sector has published a first-of-its-kind Non-CO2 Technologies Roadmap that sets out a collective ambition to improve understanding of non-CO2 aircraft emissions and the technology advancements needed to address their climate impact. Non-CO2 emissions from aviation are considered to contribute a climate impact in terms of global warming but there remains a high level of scientific uncertainty as to the quantified impacts. Developed with input from almost 100 leading experts from industry and academia, the roadmap aims to reduce this uncertainty and deliver technology solutions ..read more

As part of a multi-million-pound investment programme to overhaul and reduce emissions from its ground fleet at London’s Heathrow Airport, more than 90% of British Airways’ vehicles and ground support equipment (GSE) are now either zero emissions electrical equipment when used or driven, hybrids or are operating on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. The airline has further plans over the next two years for switching other equipment and vehicles to electric, hybrid or HVO. As well as saving CO2 emissions, the changes are aimed at reducing negative air quality impacts around the Heathrow ar ..read more

With UK elections due to take place this year, industry coalition Sustainable Aviation has launched a manifesto that calls on the next government to accelerate policy action on the transition to net zero aviation. Specifically, it sets out how the incoming government can ensure the UK is world-leading in sustainable aviation through becoming an early mover on SAF production and supply, strengthening aerospace technology innovation and accelerating airspace modernisation. The industry group represents airlines, airports, manufacturers, air navigation service providers and fuel producers. The g ..read more

After two decades of attempts to improve the performance of Europe’s fragmented air traffic network through better airspace integration, the EU’s legislative bodies have reached a provisional agreement that could finally lead to the substantial carbon emission savings, by as much as 10%, offered by the reform. First launched by the European Commission in 1999, the Single European Sky initiative has faced procrastination and delay, not least by a number of EU member states seeking to maintain their national interest, particularly over air navigation charges. Under the agreed reform, the aim is ..read more

Aciturri, a major European aerostructures and engine components producer, has become the latest investor in Dovetail Electric Aviation, an emerging Australian developer of both battery-electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for regional airliners. Aciturri is a significant supplier to major aerospace companies including Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Deutsche Aircraft, Safran, Rolls-Royce, Daher and air taxi manufacturer Lilium. As lead investor in Dovetail’s seed investment round, tranche 2, it elevates the Australian company’s international profile and manufacturing capabilities, ahead ..read more