The UK Government says the country took a step towards net zero carbon emissions after awarding five companies in the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry a share of the £165 million Advanced Fuels Fund.
The successful projects include SAF plants in Teesside, Immingham and Ellesmere Port, which will convert everyday household and commercial waste, such as black bin bags, into sustainable jet fuel.
Other successful projects include a SAF plant in Port Talbot which will convert steel mill off-gases into sustainable jet fuel and the early development of a SAF plant using carbon capture and hydrogen made from renewable electricity.
The five projects will produce over 300,000 tonnes of SAF a year, the UK Government says.
The Government continues that the successful projects will also cut CO2 emissions by an average of 200,000 tonnes each year once fully up and running.
It’s exactly this kind of innovation that will help us create thousands of green jobs across the country and slash our carbon emissions.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Using waste or by-products to refuel airliners sounds like a flight of fancy, but thanks to £165 million of government funding it’s going to help us make guilt-free flying a reality.
“It’s exactly this kind of innovation that will help us create thousands of green jobs across the country and slash our carbon emissions.”
Alongside the news, the UK Government has also announced £1.2m in funding for the Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure project (ZEFI) to help develop key airport infrastructure, such as hydrogen re-fuelling technology, for zero emissions aircraft.
Launched in 2021 with £3m, this additional £1.2m extends the project for another year to support airports prepare to handle new forms of aircraft.
Last week (12 December), the Government also announced that Virgin Atlantic will charter the first net zero transatlantic flight next year, powered by SAF.
In 2023, one of Virgin Atlantic’s flagship Boeing 787s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, will take off from London Heathrow and make the journey to New York’s John F Kennedy Airport, the Government says.