#Sustainability20: Oneworld airlines launch $150M Bill Gates-backed fund to advance SAF development & more
Weekly roundup - 19/09/25
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 oneworld alliance and Breakthrough Energy Ventures have launched a new $150 million fund to address the limited availability and high cost of sustainable aviation fuel.
The European Commission has released the first €100 million in ETS allowances to airlines to financially encourage the use of sustainable aviation fuel.
South Korea has announced that all international flights must use a blend of sustainable aviation fuel from 2027, starting at 1% and rising to 10% by 2035.
Ryanair has reaffirmed its commitment to net zero by 2050, highlighting its fleet renewal, winglet retrofits, and the procurement of sustainable aviation fuel.
CLIMATE WATCH: Climate Change’s Toll in Europe This Summer: Thousands of Extra Deaths - The New York Times
Scientists have estimated that severe summer heat in European cities killed three times as many people as it would have without human-induced climate change.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
A new common-use, all-electric ground support fleet at JFK's Terminal 6 is set to eliminate around 2,500 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has launched a pilot using hydrogen-powered vehicles for ground operations, including an aircraft tow tractor and a pick-up truck.
Delta Air Lines has partnered with Green Taxi Aerospace to develop electric aircraft taxiing technology aimed at reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Los Angeles World Airports has published its 2024 Sustainability Report, highlighting progress in electrifying its fleet and reducing water usage.
Zurich Airport’s long-term environmental strategy has focused on eliminating unnecessary combustion, using renewable energy, and backing new solar-to-liquid fuel technology.
San Diego's new Terminal 1 incorporates innovative sustainable design, reducing embodied carbon by 30% and saving 38,000 gallons of water monthly.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Luxaviation Group has signed a 15-year SAF offtake agreement with Haffner Energy to help scale up production in Europe.
Petronas has delivered Malaysia’s first locally-blended SAF to supply Malaysia Airlines flights from Kuala Lumpur to London.
Saudi investor Alfanar has confirmed its commitment to a £2 billion SAF plant planned for Teesside.
Dubai-based Lootah Biofuels has become one of the first local companies to supply SAF in the UAE market.
Provectus Biofuels has signed a letter of intent for a long-term offtake agreement to supply a regional Alberta airport with SAF.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
Delta Air Lines is partnering with Maeve Aerospace to support the development of its hybrid electric regional aircraft, the MAEVE Jet.
The FAA is launching a pilot program to speed up the rollout of air taxis, with Archer and Joby Aviation participating.
Skyportz has partnered with China’s Haylion Technologies to introduce its patented vertipad landing infrastructure to the Chinese advanced air mobility market.
Wisk Aero has partnered with the City of Fullerton to develop infrastructure and operational frameworks for autonomous air taxis.
UK-based HyFlux has secured funding to develop a novel cryogenic cooling system for its superconducting electric aircraft motors.