Virgin Atlantic has won the competition to receive government funding for the first ever net zero transatlantic flight using only sustainable aviation fuel, according to the UK government. The flight, planned for 2023, will fly from London to New York.
The announcement follows the release of the UK government’s July launch of “Jet Zero,” its strategy to achieve net zero aviation by 2050, and the RAF’s recent achievement of the world’s first sustainable fuel military transporter flight using 100% SAF.
This flight is expected to be powered by SAF, which is primarily made from waste oils and fats like used cooking oil. The use of 100% SAF on the flight, combined with carbon removal via biochar credits (a material that traps and stores carbon removed from the atmosphere), will result in a net zero flight.
Further, the government will continue to invest in a domestic SAF industry through the £165 million advanced fuels fund, work with the industry and investors to understand how to secure long-term investment into the sector, and introduce a SAF mandate requiring at least 10% of jet fuel to be made from sustainable sources by 2030. Along with this groundbreaking flight, these measures will help SAF play a larger role in the future of commercial aviation.
