Virgin Atlantic, due to join Skyteam in early 2023has been selected by the UK government to receive funding for a "zero net emissions" flight. An experiment to show how SAF could replace conventional paraffin. And transform air transport in the long term.
Virgin Atlantic is working with a consortium including Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Imperial College London, University of Sheffield, RMI and ICF. By replacing paraffin entirely, FAS can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by more than 70 %compared with conventional fossil fuels.
The theft of Virgin Atlantic should be fuelled by SAF made mainly from used oils and fatssuch as cooking oil. The use of 100 % of SAF on the flight, combined with the elimination of carbon through biochar credits - a material that traps and stores carbon taken from the atmosphere - will make the flight completely emission neutral.
A low-carbon future by 2050
Commenting on this initiative, the British Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harpersaid: "For decades, the London-New York flight symbolises aviation's ability to connect people and promote progress around the world. It will now be at the forefront of reducing carbon emissions. Not only will this flight pave the way for future generations, it will demonstrate what we can achieve when we work together on a common goal - bringing together some of the world's best companies and academics. Led by a British airline."
For Shah Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic : " As an airline founded on and committed to innovation, we are proud to lead a consortium. It is making aviation history by operating the very first transatlantic 100 % SAF flight. This challenge recognises the essential role that SAF has to play in decarbonising aviation, nur collective ambition is "Net Zero Emissions" by 2050."
The flight is scheduled to take place during the year 2023 but no exact date yet.
