#Sustainability20: Air New Zealand completes electric flight trials & more
Weekly round-up - 20/02/26
Each Friday, we publish a round-up of the 20 most important stories on sustainable aviation. You can see previous editions of #Sustainability20 here.
Industry updates
European airlines will face millions in fines at the end of 2026 after the phase-out of free ETS emissions allowances, leaving them to purchase credits for all carbon dioxide output.
Four consortia have launched a five-year collaboration to build a hybrid-electric regional aircraft, aiming to demonstrate technologies that will deliver a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions.
Over 4.7 million carbon credits from DelAgua’s African cookstove projects have been approved for use under CORSIA, having secured the necessary authorisations from three host countries.
The SAFc Registry has now surpassed 500,000 tonnes of CO2 abated through its platform, issuing certificates for more than 164,000 tonnes of SAF since its launch in 2023.
CLIMATE WATCH: U.S. Tells International Energy Agency to Drop Its Focus on Climate Change - The New York Times
The Trump administration has threatened to withdraw the US from the International Energy Agency unless it abandons its focus on climate change and its net-zero scenario.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
Three new electric trams have joined Honolulu’s Wiki Wiki shuttle fleet, replacing older vehicles to transport passengers quietly and efficiently between terminals.
San Francisco International Airport is accelerating its energy transformation through electrification, solar expansion and advanced energy management systems to meet its net zero goals.
SPIE Belgium has completed an airfield lighting modernisation at Brussels South Charleroi Airport, replacing nearly 200km of cable and converting 95% of lights to LED, cutting energy use by 80-85%.
GoML has deployed an Agentic AI solution for TripAI that optimises taxi-out fuel consumption, helping airlines achieve 1-3% savings through data-driven recommendations and plain-English queries.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Metafuels has raised $24 million to commercialise its e-SAF technology, which converts green methanol into jet fuel and addresses feedstock limitations facing other production pathways.
Heathrow has increased its SAF incentive scheme to £80 million, aiming to boost SAF use to 5.6% in 2026 and exceed the UK government’s mandate by 2%.
Neste and World Fuel have extended their partnership for five years, enabling Neste-supplied SAF to reach more than 100 airports across the UK and Europe.
World Energy and Montana Renewables have joined forces to deliver over 70 million gallons of SAF across three years, supporting corporate inset programmes and North American production expansion.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
Air New Zealand has completed a four-month electric aircraft demonstration with Beta Technologies, flying 100 missions and confirming significantly lower operating costs than conventional planes.
A UK trial has proven that hydrogen ground support equipment can operate safely airside, with a new report calling for longer, integrated trials to bridge the infrastructure gap.
Aviation battery startup H55 has passed a major regulatory milestone after EASA witnessed tests confirming its battery modules are certifiable, using production hardware and a novel approach to thermal runaway prevention.
Siemens is expanding its alliance with ACS to deliver integrated drive and automation solutions, including an eVTOL aircraft testing project focused on energy efficiency and safety.
US lawmakers have introduced legislation to reform type certification processes for advanced air mobility aircraft, establishing clearer timelines and expanding the FAA’s delegation authority.
Australian hypersonic flight pioneer Hypersonix has opened a launch window for its DART AE scramjet-powered flight, which will validate propulsion and guidance systems at Mach 5+ with zero CO2 emissions.
Conscious Aerospace has begun designing a 2-megawatt hydrogen-electric propulsion system for Dash 8 aircraft, with ground testing expected by late 2028 and service entry in 2030.
Horizon Aircraft has selected North Aircraft Industries to manufacture the transforming wings for its Cavorite X7 eVTOL, moving the seven-seat hybrid-electric aircraft closer to its 2027 test flight.