#Sustainability20: Virgin Atlantic Reveals Findings From 100% SAF Flight & More
#Sustainability20: Virgin Atlantic Reveals Findings From 100% SAF Flight & More
Weekly Roundup - 10/05/24
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
The UK’s SAF mandate sets annual targets for jet fuel suppliers, starting at 2% in 2025 and increasing to 22% by 2040, raising concerns about feedstock and refinery availability.
Alaska Airlines offers guests the option to voluntarily reduce their travel’s environmental impact by purchasing SAF credits during booking, with Mileage Plan members earning elite-qualifying miles for contributions.
Virgin Atlantic’s Flight100, powered entirely by SAF, saved 95 tonnes of CO2 compared to a standard flight, demonstrating the potential benefits of SAF.
CLIMATE WATCH: Record-breaking increase in CO2 levels in world’s atmosphere - The Guardian
Researchers recorded the largest ever leap in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, with levels in March 2024 being 4.7 ppm higher than the previous year, driven by El Niño and fossil fuel emissions.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
Beep, Sustainability Partners, and the Hawai’i Department of Transportation launched an 18-month autonomous shuttle pilot at Daniel K Inouye International Airport, providing first- and last-mile transportation options.
ESS Tech commissioned an energy storage system at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to enable the electrification of ground operations, reducing carbon emissions and air pollution.
Finavia has achieved net zero carbon emissions for its own operations at four airports in Finland through energy consumption reduction and the use of renewable fuels.
Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority announced a new Ground Transportation Center project in partnership with Conrac Solutions, aiming to improve ground transportation services and sustainability initiatives by 2028.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Singapore Airlines will buy 1,000 tonnes of SAF from Neste, the first purchase from the Finnish firm’s refinery in Singapore, to blend with conventional fuel.
Boston Consulting Group signed a deal with World Energy to acquire SAF certificates until 2028, aiming to slash CO2 emissions by 100,000 metric tons over five years.
United Airlines announced a joint venture with Tallgrass and Green Plains to develop a SAF technology using ethanol as a feedstock, targeting 135 million gallons annually.
Ethanol-based SAF will qualify for a federal tax credit program under revised Treasury Department guidance, rewarding producers for farming and refining practices that reduce emissions.
Researchers used computational modelling and strain engineering to optimise isoprenol production in P. putida bacteria, achieving a 10-fold improvement and the highest reported titer for potential SAF production.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
Archer Aviation opened its first battery pack manufacturing site in San Jose, California, with a highly automated production line capable of producing up to 15,000 packs annually.
Skyports signed an MoU with authorities in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, to develop infrastructure for an air taxi network focused on providing zero-emission transport to popular tourist areas.
A German consortium led by H2FLY secured €9.3 million in government funding to develop and test a 350kW hydrogen fuel cell system for powering 40-80 seater regional aircraft.
Cemvita has achieved a breakthrough in producing substantial quantities of its Sustainable Oil from waste carbon sources, providing a low-carbon intensity feedstock for HEFA sustainable aviation fuel, potentially reducing emissions.
Lilium announced a partnership with UrbanLink, including the purchase of at least 20 all-electric eVTOL jets to be operated around Florida as UrbanLink aims to become the first US eVTOL airline.
Pivotal Helix has begun deliveries of its scaled production eVTOL units, with bulk customer deliveries starting in July and ongoing evaluation by the US Air Force Research Laboratory.
Wichita State University’s NIAR broke ground on a new electric aircraft testing facility, with Textron planning to use it for its Nexus eVTOL development and certification.
LanzaJet’s ethanol-to-SAF plant in Georgia is on track to begin producing fuel in Q2, with LanzaTech’s ethanol serving as a critical feedstock for the process.