#Sustainability20: LanzaTech chooses Ghent for Europe’s first commercial alcohol-to-jet fuel facility & more
Weekly Round-up - 15/05/26
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
Rising oil prices have highlighted that sustainable aviation fuel offers energy security as well as environmental benefits, though feedstocks for cheaper HEFA production will soon prove insufficient.
A Swedish inquiry has concluded that EU production capacity cannot meet mandated SAF targets, recommending investment support and a national risk-sharing mechanism to boost domestic output.
Three major airports have been found to produce three times more emissions than Paris annually, with 100 airports responsible for two-thirds of global passenger flight CO2.
A Wizz Air survey has revealed that most travellers remain unaware of sustainable aviation fuel, while overestimating aviation’s emissions share by nearly eight times.
Boeing has secured 20,000 tonnes of permanent carbon removal through a new agreement with Supercritical, following a rigorous 118-point evaluation that reflects a broader shift toward higher-quality voluntary carbon credits.
CLIMATE WATCH: UN members prepare for pivotal vote on landmark ICJ climate justice ruling - The Guardian
The UN General Assembly is preparing to vote on landmark climate justice findings from the ICJ, confirming governments’ legal responsibility to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
Menzies Aviation has achieved its global target of 25% electric ground support equipment following a $200m investment, with European operations now leading the transition.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Germany has awarded €350 million to build a power-to-liquid eSAF facility in Schwedt, which will produce 30,000 tonnes annually and meet a quarter of the country’s blending obligation.
LanzaTech has selected North Sea Port in Ghent for Europe’s first commercial-scale alcohol-to-jet SAF plant, with front-end engineering and design work largely complete.
FlyORO and Aether Fuels have signed an MOU to explore SAF supply-chain collaboration in Singapore, pairing next-generation production with modular blending technology.
DHL Express has signed a ten-year agreement for 250,000 metric tonnes of SAF from Bahrain, marking the logistics giant’s first offtake deal in the Middle East.
Vietnam has moved into synthetic fuel production for the first time, with Binh Son Refinery signing a deal to develop a power-to-liquid pilot plant for e-SAF and green methanol.
SWISS has partnered with Zurich-based Metafuels to bring synthetic SAF to market, securing early access to fuels produced from green methanol via the aerobrew process.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
Archer has become the first eVTOL company to close Phase 3 of the FAA’s type certification process for Midnight, with US commercial operations expected to begin this year.
BETA Technologies has reported a $3.9 billion aircraft backlog after securing seven of eight FAA programmes, while surpassing 85,000 hours of engine testing.
SkyDrive has signed its first agreement with a Japanese helicopter operator, with Tohoku Air Service committing to purchase one eVTOL aircraft for delivery in 2028.
Supernal has resumed work on its eVTOL programme after striking a partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries, reversing its September 2025 suspension of the project.
AIRO Group has unveiled a full-scale autonomous hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft, with first flight expected by the end of 2026 and commercial deployment targeted for 2027.
Unither Bioélectronique has claimed the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered helicopter flight, using a modified Robinson R44 to complete a full airport traffic circuit.
DARPA has announced the first flight of its experimental hybrid-electric XRQ-73 unmanned aerial vehicle, conducted at Edwards Air Force Base in April 2026.
The groundbreaking Solar Impulse 2 solar-powered plane has crashed into the Gulf of Mexico during an autonomous test flight, bringing an untimely end to the inspirational aircraft.