Virgin Atlantic simply crossed the ocean utilizing sustainable aviation gas — here is what that really means

Virgin Atlantic made historical past on Tuesday by crossing the Atlantic Ocean with a jetliner powered completely by sustainable aviation gas (SAF).

Flying from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK), a Virgin Atlantic 787 Dreamliner — powered by twin Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines — grew to become the primary business aircraft to fly a aircraft throughout the Atlantic utilizing 100% SAF, somewhat than conventional kerosene-based gas. It follows a related demonstration flight by a Gulfstream G600 personal jet final week.

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Tuesday’s flight, which was partially funded by the British authorities, has been broadly heralded as a proof of idea, of kinds, demonstrating the feasibility of the aviation trade’s plan to decarbonize within the coming years and many years. Whereas the flight didn’t carry paying passengers, airline founder Richard Branson, CEO Shai Weiss, and Britain’s transport minister Mark Harper have been on board, together with different executives, politicians, and media — together with TPG’s Nicky Kelvin.

SAF is produced from waste merchandise, primarily from cooking oils, animal fat and byproducts of corn manufacturing. Whereas the fuels burn equally to kerosene and nonetheless produce emissions, the general “lifecycle” emissions are as much as 70% decrease — partly as a result of, by emitting carbon that had beforehand been absorbed by vegetation and animals, the fuels don’t contribute as many “new” carbon emissions into the air, versus the case when burning and producing fossil-based fuels.

Whereas business aviation generates 2% to three% of all emissions globally, in response to most estimates, it stays among the many most tough industries to decarbonize. Various power varieties like electrical energy stay many years away from being developed sufficient to work for long-haul flights, and essentially the most emission-heavy flights are inclined to cross oceans and continents, that means there is no greener different methodology of transport that can be utilized.

Airways have been bullish on SAF as a part of their plan to achieve “internet zero” by 2050, together with different applied sciences like direct carbon seize. Airways challenge that SAF will account for roughly 65% of the emissions reductions it hopes to attain by 2050.

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Nonetheless, there are quite a few challenges to the widespread adoption of SAF. Business engines usually are not but licensed to fly on greater than a mix of fifty% SAF — Tuesday’s flight acquired particular approval from U.Okay. regulators, and can fly again to London utilizing common gas.

Provides of SAF and common manufacturing stay too low to enter widespread use. It is scarce and costly, and presently accounts for lower than 0.1% of aviation gas used internationally, in response to the BBC.

Airline bosses have stated that widespread adoption with out authorities help could be just about inconceivable as a consequence of present prices. Within the U.S., the Inflation Discount Act of 2022 consists of credit for SAF manufacturing which are anticipated to contribute in direction of scaling up manufacturing.

Critics have additionally argued that SAF have to be seen as a stepping stone, somewhat than an outright answer, given potential environmental impacts of manufacturing it, together with redirecting land for agricultural use .

Cat Hewitt, coverage director on the Aviation Atmosphere Federation, instructed CNN the flight was extra of a gimmick than a real step ahead.

“Till we’ve got genuinely zero-emission expertise accessible for flying, there’s actually one factor that we all know positively works to chop aviation emissions — and that is to fly much less,” Hewitt stated.

Nonetheless, Tuesday’s flight is anticipated to lift consciousness of SAF and its potential to no less than have some optimistic impression, as gas producers, airline executives and engine producers proceed to work with regulators to hunt approval to make use of as much as 100% SAF on business flights.

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