#Sustainability20: EasyJet Conducts UK's First Airside Hydrogen Trial At Bristol Airport & More
#Sustainability20: EasyJet Conducts UK's First Airside Hydrogen Trial At Bristol Airport & More
Weekly Roundup - 19/04/24
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
Net-zero aviation: How it started and how it’s going - International Council on Clean Transportation
The ICCT, while assessing aviation's progress towards Paris Agreement goals, concluded that the industry is following the least ambitious scenario and risks consuming a substantial portion of the global carbon budget.
Wizz Air has set a new target to power 10% of its flights with SAF by 2030, calling for industry action to boost production and address deployment barriers.
Boom Supersonic received the FAA's first-ever Special Flight Authorization for supersonic flight tests, allowing the company to advance its XB-1 demonstrator's flight test campaign.
The Aviation Net Zero CO2 Transition Pathways Comparative Review shows multiple levers can be used to decarbonise aviation by 2050, with SAF expected to have the greatest impact.
Singapore will require the use of some SAF on all flights departing the country from 2026, with targets rising to 3-5% by 2030.
IATA supports Malaysia's decision to introduce airline carbon fees and give pricing flexibility to individual carriers to decide on the amount charged based on various operational and commercial factors.
CLIMATE WATCH: The Widest-Ever Global Coral Crisis Will Hit Within Weeks, Scientists Say - The New York Times
The world's coral reefs are experiencing a global bleaching event caused by extraordinary ocean temperatures, threatening vital ecosystems that support marine life and coastal protection.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
Hong Kong International Airport has launched a renewable diesel pilot project, becoming the first airport in Asia to use the fuel on ground services equipment.
San Antonio International Airport will work with ARPA-E to develop technology for decarbonising aviation and electrifying airports, with support from CPS Energy and UTSA.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Air New Zealand has signed its biggest single purchase of SAF, ordering nine million litres from Neste for its operations at Los Angeles International Airport.
Boeing has made its largest purchase of blended SAF from Neste and World Energy, totalling 9.4 million gallons for its own operations and the wider industry.
The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance announced deals to purchase $200 million worth of SAF certificates, equivalent to about 50 million gallons of high-integrity SAF.
Jet2.com will begin using SAF at London Stansted, bringing its total purchases to around 1,000 tonnes in preparation for the UK's upcoming SAF mandate.
The US's first plant making sustainable jet fuel from ethanol will initially rely on sugarcane ethanol imported from Brazil, as Brazilian mills are certified to meet SAF standards.
MOL Group has installed a 10MW electrolyser at its Danube refinery in Hungary, the largest in Central and Eastern Europe, as it plans to produce green hydrogen at more refineries.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
The Hydrogen in Aviation group conducted the UK's first hydrogen trial by using the fuel to power ground support equipment at Bristol Airport.
Air New Zealand has announced Wellington to Marlborough as the route for its first all-electric aircraft, the Beta ALIA, beginning with cargo-only flights in 2026.
Lilium has commenced production of battery packs for its eVTOL aircraft, aiming to conduct the first piloted flight by the end of the year and achieve certification before 2026.
ELECTRON Aerospace has signed up two new customers, Air2E and Hopscotch Air, for its future Electron 5 battery-powered aircraft, accumulating orders worth almost €200 million.
Australian startup Wilbur Air plans electric aviation operations using "mini-airports," partnering with Electra to operate the first 100 of its hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft in Australia.
Hydrogen airship startup HyLight has raised €3.7m to accelerate the development of its zero-emission aerial data drones for inspecting large infrastructure.