BUSINESS NEWS to reduce the carbon footprint of flying dominate event in London this month. Ian Taylor reports


‘We need to see next-generation SAF fuels scaling’


British Airways parent International Airlines Group is “further ahead” in its use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) than expected, according to the group’s sustainable fuels and carbon manager Leigh Hudson. But referring to the government’s


SAF Mandate, which requires 2% of fuel on flights departing the UK this year to be SAF, she said: “Mandates alone don’t create supply.” Hudson told the forum: “We’re


further ahead as a group than we thought we would be – 2.6% of our fuel is SAF. [But] we’re trying to replace fossil fuels in a short space of time. We need to see next-generation SAF fuels


IAG says 2.6% of its fuel is now SAF


‘Sector’s plan to be net zero by 2050 is credible but challenging’


scaling. That requires technologies to come to market quickly.” She argued the government’s


proposed Revenue Certainty Mechanism to encourage SAF production would see the costs “come back to airlines and go on to consumers”. Sustainable Aviation’s Duncan


McCourt said: “The Revenue Certainty Mechanism can’t come quickly enough.” But he noted: “SAF will be a global commodity and the UK will [have to] import large quantities.”


The aviation industry has a “credible” plan to reach net zero by 2050, Sustainable Aviation chief executive Duncan McCourt told delegates at the Abta forum. But he acknowledged: “It’s


not without significant challenges, not without significant uncertainty and no doubt there will be significant periods of discomfort.” McCourt


warned: “The political pressure is likely to increase. Aviation will be the biggest emitter [of carbon] by 2040, so it’s incumbent on aviation to do all it can to address this.”


He insisted: “The tools


Duncan McCourt


now exist to take carbon out of flying. All the elements of the technology already exist. We know the science of how to do it, but we haven’t got the scale.” McCourt said aviation leaders fear that if the industry does not move fast enough, it faces “the risk of stranded assets and regulations restricting


demand growth”. However, Richard


Mumford, of law firm


Clyde & Co, said: “The drive to net zero is a real challenge. There is uncertainty about investment and the supply [of SAF].”


Hydrogen ‘key’ to decarbonisation Ian Taylor


A transition to hydrogen fuel will be essential if the aviation industry is to decarbonise, according to a leading aviation consultant. Jenny Kavanagh, co-chair of the


Zero Emissions Flight Infrastructure Group – a coalition of airports, hydrogen suppliers and technology companies – told the Abta forum: “We’re going to have to transition to hydrogen if we want to decarbonise.” Kavanagh, until recently


chief strategy officer at Cranfield Aerospace, acknowledged Airbus has confirmed a delay to its 2035 target for the launch of a hydrogen-powered aircraft. She said: “Most of us were not surprised Airbus put back its target date. It’s a monumental challenge. “It’s not just the aircraft


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technology. If we’re going to have the hydrogen, it will need a lot of energy and that is not something the aviation industry can sort out.” She argued: “Hydrogen


technology is in development, but it will be a lot more expensive and take more time than we thought.” Kavanagh called for “government


policy and leadership” to develop “an integrated strategy and to create certainty”, saying: “The UK is good at technology development but not at commercialising technology.” She insisted: “With the


right support we could see a zero-emissions flight this decade [with a small aircraft]. That would show the investment community this is not a pipedream.” However, Christopher


Snelling, policy director at airports association Airports UK, noted:


“There are questions about how a hydrogen-fuelled airport would work. “Some of the infrastructure


requirements will be fundamental – for example, you don’t want hydrogen planes in hangars, and you don’t want to be refuelling hydrogen aircraft on stands.” He said: “If you look at


Gatwick’s expansions plans, hydrogen is not really part of that. We would expect hydrogen [use] to start at smaller airports.” Duncan McCourt, chief executive


of the Sustainable Aviation industry coalition, agreed, saying: “We need to work out how to move the fuel.” Airbus confirmed in February


that any launch of a hydrogen- powered aircraft would “come later than 2035”, with a spokesperson saying: “Developing a hydrogen ecosystem is a huge challenge


and progress on key enablers is slower than anticipated.” (Travel Weekly, February 13) Its ZEROe hydrogen project aims


to develop a 100-seat, short-haul turboprop aircraft powered either directly by hydrogen or by hydrogen-electric fuel cells. Boeing has been more sceptical of


hydrogen, noting the greater fire risk, additional weight and large fuel tanks that hydrogen use would require.


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PICTURE: Shutterstock/Bulent camci


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