It’s no secret that we need to uncover ways to make air travel more sustainable. In the U.S. alone, air travel accounts for 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and as the number of flights taking off each day rises that percentage could go up. To combat this, aircraft builders and engine manufacturers have begun experimenting with novel ways of powering flight, including electric motors and even hydrogen-powered engines. But now, one British airline will trial the first transatlantic flight to run on something called Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
On November 28th, a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 Dreamliner will take off from London’s Heathrow on a flight to JFK in New York. But instead of its two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines running on traditional jet fuel, the plane will be fueled for the entire trip on a sustainable alternative.
This will be a first for the industry, as presently airlines are only permitted to operate flights with up to 50 percent sustainable fuels blended in with traditional jet fuel. For the test flight, Virgin Atlantic has partnered with Air BP and Virent, which will provide a new fuel that cuts lifecycle CO2 emissions by as much as 70 percent.
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