Airlines see Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as crucial to cutting net emissions, because it can be used in existing planes.
Faroese salmon producer Bakkafrost has participated in first transatlantic flight to be powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Until now regulators have only allowed airlines to use up to 50% of eco-fuel to power their engines.
Tuesday’s flight from London Heathrow, partly funded by the UK government and in partnership with Virgin Atlantic and Kuehne+Nagelis, has been hailed as a demonstration of the potential to significantly cut net carbon emissions from flying.
The Boeing 787 test flight to New York was powered fuel made up mainly of used cooking oil and plant-based products.
Regin Jacobsen, CEO of Bakkafrost, highlighted the producer’s commitment to sustainable business operations, including eco-friendly transportation methods for its products.
“We are committed to being a sustainable business in every sense and with the increasing focus on sustainable exports and airfreight across the world, this SAF approach is an important development for the future,” said Jacobsen.
“The way we transport our salmon around the globe has got to match the expectations of our customers and we believe that this inaugural flight is a forward-thinking approach to the world’s environmental issues.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the flight was “a major milestone towards making air travel more environmentally friendly and decarbonising our skies”.
$52 million budget for change
Bakkafrost aims to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and has allocated DKK 355 million ($52 million) for energy transition initiatives.
However, the airline industry faces a significant challenge in order to meet those targets.
A recent Royal Society Net Zero Aviation Policy report said half of all UK agricultural land – or more than double its renewable electricity supply – would be required to make enough sustainable aviation fuel to fulfil them.
Five commercial plants to produce SAF in the UK are due to be under construction by 2025.
