The first commercial flight across the Atlantic, powered 100% by sustainable aviation fuel, was launched on Tuesday, with the aircraft running on fuel made from used cooking oil and biomass – a historic achievement as the sector aims to reduce its carbon emissions.
Key Facts
The trial flight aboard a Boeing 787, known as Flight 100, took off from London Heathrow Airport on Tuesday and is scheduled to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport, accompanied by Virgin Atlantic’s billionaire founder Sir Richard Branson alongside British Transport Secretary Mark Harper.
Virgin Atlantic previously committed to making sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) account for 10% of its fuel consumption by 2030, and has already agreed to purchase 70 million gallons annually to operate flights between the UK and the US.
Sustainable aviation fuel is already being used on commercial flights in small proportions mixed with petroleum-based fuel, but it currently only represents 0.1% of total global aviation fuel used in 2022, according to the International Air Transport Association.
Sustainable aviation fuel is significantly more expensive than jet fuel and suffers from supply shortages: according to one estimate, airlines spent $500 million on fuel costs after adopting sustainable aviation fuel, which still constituted only 0.2% of the total fuel in the supply chain in 2023.
Main Background
Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is a renewable biofuel that can provide the same performance as petroleum-based jet fuel with only a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Department of Energy. SAF is typically produced from biomass and waste materials. The company stated that the fuel used by Virgin Atlantic is made from “used cooking oil, non-food crops, biomass waste, and industrial waste gases from processes like steelmaking.” The first commercial flight using SAF occurred in 2011, a Continental Airlines flight from Houston to Chicago powered by algae fuel. The industry has gradually begun to incorporate various types of biofuels into its supply. The International Air Transport Association described biofuels as “the largest lever for aviation’s transition to net zero,” as its airline members aim for zero carbon emissions by 2050. The association also noted that the industry must invest in new technologies such as electric and hydrogen aircraft, in addition to expanding carbon offsetting and carbon capture technologies.
Critical Quote
“The world will always assume that something cannot be done… until you do it,” wrote Richard Branson in an article published while he flew across the Atlantic on Tuesday morning. “The spirit of innovation is to go out and try to prove that we can do things better for the benefit of everyone. This flight today shows that sustainable aviation fuel can be an immediate alternative to jet fuel – the only viable solution for achieving sustainability in long-haul flights.”
Forbes Estimate
We estimate Branson’s net worth at $2.9 billion, which comes mainly from businesses in the Virgin Group, including Virgin Atlantic airline and commercial spaceflight company Virgin Galactic.
Main Critics
Several environmental groups and activists have criticized the push for sustainable aviation fuel adoption, arguing that the industry is trying to “greenwash” a fundamentally unsustainable form of transport. According to Greenpeace, sustainable aviation fuel is often derived from feedstock crops like palm oil, which require destructive farming practices that are already leading to deforestation and loss of biodiversity in Malaysia and Indonesia. A study published in February found that airlines may have to continue using hydrocarbon fuels if sustainable aviation fuel cannot be produced at a significant scale. “It is clear that there is no single simple answer to achieving sustainability in aviation and that solutions are likely to be varied,” the organization wrote.
Reading
Detailed
Aviation Sets SAF Framework to Make Air Travel More Sustainable
Why Sustainable Aviation Fuel Could Be the Better Alternative to Carbon Offsetting
Emirates Marks First A380 Flight with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel – Production Challenges Remain
Zachary Folk
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