UK to introduce SAF mandate as part of Jet Zero Strategy

The UK authorities is to introduce a brand new mandate on the usage of sustainable aviation gas (SAF), as a part of its Jet Zero Technique to realize “web zero” emissions from flights by 2050.

The technique, which was unveiled on the Farnborough Worldwide Airshow on Tuesday (19 July), would require that at the very least 10 per cent of jet gas have to be produced from sustainable sources by 2030. 

As one other a part of the Jet Zero plan, the federal government needs to have at the very least 5 “industrial scale” SAF crops beneath building within the UK by 2025. Corporations working SAF tasks will even have the ability to apply for help from the £165 million Superior Fuels Fund.

The federal government can be committing UK home aviation to realize web zero emissions by 2040 and all airports in England to be zero-emission by the identical 12 months. 

The technique additionally features a plan for the aviation trade to remain at beneath pre-Covid ranges of emissions by a spread of measures, together with “system efficiencies” and new applied sciences.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps mentioned: “We wish 2019 to be remembered as the height 12 months for aviation emissions. Any longer, it ought to all be downhill for carbon emissions – and steadily uphill for inexperienced flights.

“The UK is setting an instance of the ambition wanted to sort out local weather change, and the Jet Zero Technique offers a transparent path to constructing a greener aviation sector for generations to return. 

“Quite than clipping the sector’s wings, our pathway recognises that decarbonisation affords enormous financial advantages, creating the roles and industries of the long run ensuring UK companies are on the forefront of this inexperienced revolution.”

The Jet Zero Technique options six precedence areas: bettering the effectivity of the prevailing aviation system; growing help for SAF by creating and rising demand; supporting the event of zero-emission plane; creating carbon markets and greenhouse fuel elimination expertise; offering customers with higher data to make sustainable journey choices; and growing understanding of non-CO2 impacts of aviation.

The brand new technique has been developed following the work of the Jet Zero Council that brings collectively ministers, trade leaders and lecturers to debate how one can lower emissions from aviation.

Emma Gilthorpe, CEO of the Jet Zero Council, mentioned: “It is a key milestone on the trail to decarbonising aviation, setting the framework for the Jet Zero Council to proceed its nice progress on sustainable aviation fuels and 0 emission flight, and offering key insurance policies to get us there, together with a SAF mandate.”

Charlie Cornish, CEO of Manchester Airport Group, added: “We’re proud to play a number one function within the Jet Zero Council, which brings collectively authorities and trade to share concepts and innovation to make sure we make this technique a actuality.”

The federal government can be working a problem to the aviation trade to ship the primary transatlantic flight working totally on SAF in 2023. Corporations can now bid for as much as £1 million in funding for this pioneering flight with the winner set to be introduced later this 12 months.