In this episode, Matthew Gorman, Director of Carbon Strategy at Heathrow Airport, speaks with SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam about the airport’s approach to aviation sustainability.
With 16 years at the helm of Heathrow’s sustainability initiatives, Gorman shares how one of the world’s busiest airports is tackling aviation’s climate impact while maintaining its crucial role in global connectivity.
Here are the key highlights of the conversation:
Heathrow’s carbon footprint – scopes 1, 2 and 3 (6:57)
2030 carbon reduction targets for flights and ground operations (9:21)
Incentivising SAF adoption through landing charges (14:35)
Passenger education campaign on SAF (19:26)
Feasibility of hydrogen as an aviation fuel (25:14)
NOx emissions reduction targets and initiatives (28:45)
Influencing sustainability policy through the Jet Zero Task Force and Sustainable Aviation (31:44)
Collaborating with airlines on Heathrow’s sustainability strategy (35:06)
Balancing growth with sustainability (37:50)
Rapid fire! (43:58)
Keep reading for a quick overview of the episode.
Why SAF incentives matter for aviation’s decarbonisation
The aviation industry faces significant hurdles in scaling up sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) adoption, primarily due to the considerable cost differential compared to conventional jet fuel. “SAF is two to four or five times more expensive than kerosene,” Gorman explains, highlighting, what he calls, a classic market failure that requires innovative solutions beyond traditional government intervention.
The challenge is particularly acute for airports, which must balance their role in facilitating air travel with environmental responsibilities. At Heathrow, aircraft operations account for 95% of the total carbon footprint, whilst only 0.1% falls under the airport’s direct control, says Gorman.
This disparity underscores the need for solutions that can influence the broader aviation ecosystem rather than focusing solely on direct emissions.
Furthermore, the transition to sustainable fuels faces multiple barriers, including limited production capacity, complex supply chains, and the need for significant infrastructure investments. These challenges necessitate creative approaches that can catalyse market development whilst ensuring economic viability for airlines and fuel producers alike.
4 takeaways from the conversation
1. The SAF incentive scheme
In 2022, Heathrow launched a SAF incentive scheme, which aimed to cover up to 50% of the extra cost of SAF, making it more affordable for airlines to use. “We saw SAF as a key part of the solution; we could see the same cost challenge as everyone – SAF is 2-5 times more expensive than kerosene,” Gorman explains. “Like everyone else, we concluded that it’s a classic market failure. We need governments to step in, but we said, well, what lever could we pull that could help?”
The SAF programme operates through a carefully structured financial mechanism that creates a collective funding pool for SAF. “We looked at our landing charges and introduced a scheme where we raise charges a little bit for every airline each year to create a pot of money,” Gorman explains.
The scheme also sets progressively ambitious targets, beginning with 0.5% SAF uptake in 2022, increasing to 1.5% in 2023, 2.5% in 2024, and aiming for 3% by 2025. Airlines participate by bidding into the funding pot and receive rebates upon providing evidence of SAF uptake. The programme has garnered significant industry interest and has been oversubscribed each year, with approximately 20 airlines now participating, says Gorman.
2. Tackling ground transport emissions
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Heathrow’s emissions profile is that 80% of its ground emissions come from surface access – the transportation of passengers and staff to and from the airport. This revelation has led to significant initiatives promoting public transport use and sustainable mobility solutions.
The airport has set an ambitious target for 45% of passengers to use public transport by 2026, supported by improvements in London’s rail connectivity. “The big contributor to air pollution around the airport is actually local roads,” Gorman explains, highlighting why this focus is crucial for both environmental and public health outcomes.
The strategy includes a suite of measures – expanded public transport connections, incentives for electric vehicle adoption, and upgraded infrastructure for active travel options like cycling. This holistic approach to ground transport highlights how airports can cut emissions beyond their own operations, while enhancing the passenger experience and improving local air quality.
3. Preparing for hydrogen-powered aviation
While SAF remains key for long-haul flights, Heathrow is preparing for hydrogen-powered aircraft as part of its decarbonisation strategy.
Their research indicates that hydrogen technology will likely start with turboprops in the early 2030s, depending on technological and regulatory progress.
The airport’s hydrogen strategy is deliberately measured and pragmatic, says Gorman. Initial research indicates that truck delivery of hydrogen would suffice until at least the early 2040s, serving the limited number of domestic routes suitable for early hydrogen-powered aircraft.
However, the airport is already planning for more extensive future requirements, which would necessitate 3 significant infrastructure developments:
Liquefaction machinery facilities to convert gas into liquid form,
A new hydrant system for distribution, and
Substantial electrical power capacity.
To lead these preparations, Heathrow is collaborating with Cranfield University’s Tom Budd, whose research focuses on understanding the complex infrastructure changes required to incorporate hydrogen into airport operations. The airport has also designated Stand 601 in its cargo area as a testing facility for hydrogen turnaround procedures and vehicles, demonstrating its commitment to practical, hands-on preparation, shares Gorman.
4. Balancing growth with sustainability
Heathrow has established ambitious sustainability targets: a 15% reduction in flight emissions and a 45% reduction in ground operations emissions by 2030, compared to 2019 levels. The targets are based on the UK’s Climate Change Committee’s emissions reduction guidance, and as Gorman puts it, are “bold but plausible – bold because we must act ambitiously, but plausible because we need to be confident we can achieve it.”
Addressing the debate between aviation growth and environmental responsibility, Gorman challenges the view that growth should stop. Rather than seeing growth and sustainability as conflicting, Heathrow’s strategy focuses on technological solutions and operational improvements.
“The solutions are clear – efficiency, SAF, hydrogen, and carbon removals,” Gorman says. This approach recognises that the balance between these solutions may shift as technologies and costs evolve, but the path to reconciling growth with environmental responsibility is clear.
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