#Sustainability20: Beyond Aero selects Luxaviation as launch operator for hydrogen-electric aircraft & more
Weekly Round-up - 17/04/26
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
The Zemo Partnership has launched a voluntary assurance scheme for SAF traceability in the UK, with Valero as the first approved supplier, enabling verified emissions claims under the UK ETS.
A major SAF supplier to the UK has been sourcing Brazilian beef fat linked to illegal Amazon deforestation, revealing a critical traceability gap in the green fuel supply chain.
Delta Air Lines has quietly removed its 10% SAF pledge by 2030 from its website, rephrasing its net-zero target as an “aspiration” rather than a goal.
Scoot has been named the world’s most emissions-efficient airline by Cirium, with low-cost carriers dominating the top rankings due to younger fleets and higher seat density.
CLIMATE WATCH: Critical Atlantic current significantly more likely to collapse than thought - The Guardian
New research has found that the Atlantic current system is significantly more likely to collapse than previously thought, with a slowdown of up to 58% predicted by 2100.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
Noida International Airport has installed over 6,000 furniture units made using cold roll forming technology, achieving 66% recyclability and setting a new benchmark for sustainable infrastructure.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
High capital costs and a steeply falling price curve have delayed investment decisions for dozens of eSAF projects, as early movers risk becoming uncompetitive within years.
Boeing has expanded its collaboration with Norsk e-Fuel to accelerate synthetic aviation fuel production, aiming to strengthen Europe’s energy resilience and reduce fossil fuel dependency.
Metafuels has secured a €1.92 million Dutch government grant to advance its eSAF project in Rotterdam, targeting commercial production from 2030 using its methanol-to-jet technology.
eFuels SEA has launched in Singapore to develop electrofuel projects across Southeast Asia, licensing Infinium’s technology to convert carbon dioxide and renewable power into sustainable fuels.
DSV has collaborated with Microsoft, United Airlines and Phillips 66 to unlock 11 million gallons of SAF, demonstrating how coordinated long-term agreements can scale the market effectively.
DHL used 185 kilotonnes of SAF in 2025, nearly tripling its consumption from 2024, and has signed a new five-year agreement with IAG Cargo for 240 million litres at Heathrow.
Wisconsin has signed a bill creating a manufacturing zone for SAF from woody biomass, allocating up to $120 million in tax credits for production using locally sourced forestry residues.
The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance has selected Infinium’s Project Atlas to supply SAF certificates, with a planned capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year targeting 95% emissions reduction.
California’s Senate budget subcommittee has heard testimony on Governor Newsom’s proposed SAF tax credit, worth $1 to $2 per gallon, despite opposition from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office.
Petrobras has selected Honeywell’s ethanol-to-jet technology for a new SAF project at its REPLAN refinery in São Paulo, aiming to deliver up to 10,000 barrels per day.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
Beyond Aero has appointed Luxaviation Group as the launch operator for its six-passenger hydrogen-electric business aircraft, focusing on operational readiness and certification pathways.
Elysian Aircraft has reduced the number of electric motors on its E9X regional airliner concept from eight to six following its conceptual design review and scaled demonstrator flights.
Beta Technologies has reached a deal to sell 25 Alia electric aircraft to Surf Air, with an option for 75 more, starting operations in Hawaii to cut fuel costs and emissions.
Doroni Aerospace has debuted its luxury personal eVTOL concept, designed to seat two passengers and reach 120mph, with testing planned for 2027 and a projected price of $450,000.
Air Products has cancelled three U.S. hydrogen projects, including a SAF expansion in California, taking a $3.1 billion charge as it narrows its focus to scalable transport and industrial infrastructure.