The First Commercial Fossil Fuel-Free Trans-Atlantic Flight
Virgin Atlantic achieved a significant milestone by completing the first commercial fossil fuel-free trans-Atlantic flight from London to New York using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The Boeing 787 flight marked a crucial step towards the aviation industry’s “jet zero” ambition to reduce emissions.
The flight utilized SAF primarily derived from tallow and waste fats. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, expressed optimism, stating, “The world will always assume something can’t be done, until you do it.” He was accompanied by officials, engineers, and journalists.
While the UK Transport Department provided financial support for the flight, the road to widespread adoption of SAF faces substantial challenges. The cost and limited supply of materials required for SAF production pose significant barriers. Currently, SAF accounts for less than 0.1% of global jet fuel consumption, costing three to five times more than conventional jet fuel.
However, SAF has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 70%, making it a critical tool in achieving the aviation industry’s net-zero emissions target by 2050. The Federal Aviation Administration and the White House in the United States have set ambitious goals for SAF production, aiming for 1 billion and 3 billion gallons per year, respectively.
The UK has also set a target of sourcing 10% of its jet fuel from sustainable sources by 2030. Holly Boyd-Boland, vice president of corporate development at Virgin Atlantic, emphasized the need to scale up SAF production to make it a regular part of air travel.
Critics, such as the Aviation Environment Federation, argue that the industry’s claims about sustainable fuel’s impact on carbon emissions are misleading and that scaling up SAF production sustainably is a significant challenge.
While this achievement is a crucial step towards cleaner air travel, it’s worth noting that this was not a commercial flight. Gulfstream Aerospace previously completed a trans-Atlantic journey with a business jet using eco-fuel, and Air France-KLM experimented with a mix of petroleum-based jet fuel and synthetic fuel derived from waste cooking oils on a Paris to Montreal flight two years ago. Read more here.
