Virgin Atlantic Will Fly the World’s First-Ever Transatlantic Flight With Net-Zero Emissions in 2023

The new 12 months is shaping up to be a momentous just one for the aviation sector, as British airline Virgin Atlantic not long ago declared it will operate the world’s initial transatlantic flight to achieve ‘net-zero’ carbon emissions. Scheduled to fly from London Heathrow to New York JFK in late 2023, the flight will be powered entirely by sustainable aviation gas, or SAF. 

The airline strategies to benefit from SAF derived primarily from squander oils (like made use of cooking oil) and fats, aboard one particular of its flagship Boeing 787 jets, outfitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Virgin Atlantic says no aircraft or engine modifications will be essential for the take a look at flight. Reduced-carbon SAFs, formulated from a array of non-fossil fuel sources, like agricultural waste or cooking oils, are regarded “drop-in” fuels—making them suitable with present plane engines and provide infrastructure.  

Virgin Atlantic states the use of 100 {6932ee47e64f4ce8eedbbd5224581f6531cba18a35225771c06e4f1b3f0d9667} SAF minimizes carbon emissions by around 70 p.c when when compared to standard jet gas. The remainder of the flight’s net zero-emissions target—net zero is described as a stability in between both of those greenhouse gasses emitted and removed—will be met by means of an financial investment in carbon-elimination credits. 

The aim of the flight—which is being supported, in part, by £1 million ($1.22 million) in U.K. federal government funding—is to aid acquire facts and show that 100 p.c SAF-run jets are safe and viable, as the world aviation sector moves towards broader decarbonization ambitions. 

Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss mentioned in a assertion that the “the investigation and outcomes,” of the flight “will be a big stage in rapidly-tracking SAF use across the aviation marketplace and help the expense, collaboration, and urgency desired to generate SAF at scale.” 

The international aviation sector is accountable for much more than two percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, and is relying heavily on SAF know-how to meet its net zero-carbon emissions objectives by 2050, in line with United Nations targets to mitigate the worst outcomes of climate change. 

“When you glance at 2050 as the goal for internet-zero emissions, sustainable aviation fuels will play the biggest job in the decarbonization of aviation,” suggests Dr. Joshua Heyne, the director of the bioproducts, sciences, and engineering laboratory at Washington State College, whose investigation skills is in the growth of sustainable aviation fuels. 

International Air Transportation Association (IATA), a international trade affiliation of airlines, jobs that SAF will be at the rear of 65 p.c of the 2050 targets, with extra support coming from rising electric and hydrogen systems, as well as offset and carbon capture courses. 

SAF proponents say the burgeoning industry all over the alternative gasoline resource has even more possible to bolster work opportunities and improve the economy, as well. 

Having said that, SAF adoption is not with no its hurdles. At this time, rules only allow industrial aircraft to run on up to 50 p.c SAF, blended with standard jet gas. 

“Virgin Atlantic’s flight driven by 100 per cent SAF will with any luck , pave the way for regulations to be up to date and allow planes to fly on 100 p.c SAF as opposed to 50 {6932ee47e64f4ce8eedbbd5224581f6531cba18a35225771c06e4f1b3f0d9667} SAF mix at the instant,” claims Nicolas Jammes, a spokesperson for IATA.