Historic Transatlantic Flight Powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuels

Greetings, Net Zero News Community,

Today marks a monumental milestone in the pursuit of sustainable aviation as Virgin Atlantic’s historic flight takes to the skies, powered entirely by 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This groundbreaking journey, which departed from London Heathrow and landed at New York JFK on 28 November, showcases not only the viability of SAF as a substitute for fossil-derived jet fuel but also its compatibility with existing aircraft engines, airframes, and fuel infrastructure.

Operating the Boeing 787, Virgin Atlantic utilised 50 tonnes of SAF for this landmark flight, with an impressive 88% of the fuel sourced from waste fats. The remaining 12% was derived from corn production by-products in the United States. This ambitious project saw the collaboration of leading industry giants, including Rolls-Royce and BP, highlighting the collective effort needed to advance the aviation sector towards a more sustainable future.

As the aviation industry grapples with the pressing need for decarbonisation, SAF has emerged as a critical player in the journey towards achieving Net Zero by 2050. The benefits of this innovative fuel are significant; it can deliver lifecycle emissions savings of up to 70% compared to its fossil fuel counterparts while maintaining the performance standards that passengers expect from air travel.

Despite the promise SAF holds, it currently represents less than 0.1% of global jet fuel volumes. Moreover, existing fuel standards limit commercial jet engines to a maximum blend of 50% SAF. The Flight100 initiative aims to demonstrate that scaling up production will require decisive action from both policymakers and investors. The industry, alongside government support, must act swiftly to cultivate a thriving SAF industry in the UK.

Beyond merely showcasing SAF’s capabilities, Flight100 serves a dual purpose by assessing how the use of this fuel influences the flight’s non-carbon emissions. Through collaboration with academic partners such as ICF, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Imperial College London, and the University of Sheffield, the flight will contribute valuable research to enhance our understanding of SAF’s impact on contrails and particulate emissions. This data is crucial for integrating contrail forecasts into flight planning processes, an effort that Virgin Atlantic will continue to support alongside RMI’s Climate Impact Task Force, partially funded by Virgin Unite.

The SAF utilised on Flight100 is a unique dual blend, consisting of 88% Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) provided by AirBP and 12% Synthetic Aromatic Kerosene (SAK) supplied by Virent, a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation. The HEFA component is made from waste fats, while the SAK is derived from plant sugars, ensuring that the remaining plant proteins, oils, and fibres are redirected back into the food chain. The inclusion of SAK is essential for creating a fully functional fuel, as the aromatics it provides are necessary for optimal engine performance. To achieve the ambitious Net Zero 2050 target, it is imperative that innovation and investment across all available feedstocks and technologies are harnessed to maximise SAF production. Continued research and development will also be essential in bringing new zero-emission aircraft to market.

Virgin Atlantic is unwavering in its commitment to discovering more sustainable ways to fly. The airline already operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the sky. Flight100 builds on a 15-year legacy of leadership in the development of SAF at scale. However, the challenge remains for both the industry and government to collaborate effectively to create a robust UK SAF sector, working towards the aviation industry’s target of 10% SAF usage by 2030. The potential social and economic benefits are immense, with estimates suggesting a contribution of £1.8 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK economy and the creation of over 10,000 jobs.

Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Atlantic, expressed his enthusiasm for this landmark flight, stating: “Flight100 proves that Sustainable Aviation Fuel can be used as a safe, drop-in replacement for fossil-derived jet fuel and it’s the only viable solution for decarbonising long-haul aviation. It’s taken radical collaboration to get here, and we’re proud to have reached this important milestone, but we need to push further. There’s simply not enough SAF, and it’s clear that in order to reach production at scale, we need to see significantly more investment. This will only happen when regulatory certainty and price support mechanisms, backed by Government, are in place. Flight100 proves that if you make it, we’ll fly it.”

Sir Richard Branson, the visionary founder of Virgin Atlantic, shared his thoughts on the flight, stating: “The world will always assume something can’t be done until you do it. The spirit of innovation is getting out there and trying to prove that we can do things better for everyone’s benefit. Virgin Atlantic has been challenging the status quo and pushing the aviation industry to never settle and do better since 1984. Fast forward nearly 40 years, that pioneering spirit continues to be Virgin Atlantic’s beating heart as it pushes the boundaries from carbon fibre aircraft and fleet upgrades to sustainable fuels. I couldn’t be prouder to be onboard Flight100 today alongside the teams at Virgin Atlantic and our partners, which have been working together to set the flight path for the decarbonisation of long-haul aviation.”

Sheila Remes, Vice President of Environmental Sustainability at Boeing, highlighted the significance of this flight, noting: “In 2008, Virgin Atlantic and Boeing completed the first commercial SAF test flight on a 747 and today we will accomplish yet another significant milestone utilising a 787 Dreamliner. This flight is a key step toward our commitment to deliver 100% SAF-compatible airplanes by 2030. As we work toward the civil aviation industry’s net-zero goal, today’s historic journey highlights what we can achieve together.”

Simon Burr, Group Director of Engineering, Technology & Safety at Rolls-Royce plc, expressed pride in their role, stating: “We are incredibly proud that our Trent 1000 engines are powering the first ever widebody flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel across the Atlantic today. Rolls-Royce has recently completed compatibility testing of 100% SAF on all our in-production civil aero engine types, and this is further proof that there are no engine technology barriers to the use of 100% SAF. The flight represents a major milestone for the entire aviation industry in its journey towards net zero carbon emissions.”

Federica Berra, Senior Vice President at Air bp, echoed the sentiment of collaboration, stating: “Air bp is honoured to participate in this first ever 100% SAF fuelled transatlantic flight by a commercial airline, as one of the consortium’s preferred SAF suppliers. This is a milestone moment for aviation and for our industry and helps build evidence for the reliability and safety of using 100% SAF in today’s aircraft. Collaboration with industry partners is vital to successfully scale SAF, as is long-term policy support to foster supply and demand. Our expert team has worked for months in preparation for today’s flight, drawing upon their deep knowledge and skills in fuel handling, blending, and logistics, overall, ensuring product quality and safety standards have been met.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper remarked on the significance of this flight, stating: “Today’s 100% SAF powered flight shows how we can decarbonise transport both now and in the future, cutting lifecycle emissions by 70% and inspiring the next generation of solutions. This Government has backed today’s flight to take off, and we will continue to support the UK’s emerging SAF industry as it creates jobs, grows the economy, and gets us to Jet Zero.”

Paul Thompson, Head of Renewable Transport Fuels at the REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology), expressed congratulations to all involved, stating: “REA welcomes this first-ever transatlantic flight using Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) today and congratulates all the project partners. The decarbonisation of the aviation industry is a key sector to meet Net Zero, and having been very closely involved with our members and Government on developing policy in this field, we welcome this landmark. However, in the longer term, we know this is not a ‘silver bullet’ and a mix of technologies (such as zero carbon hydrogen and electrification) will be necessary, alongside addressing the elephant in the room of ever-growing aviation use.”

As we witness this remarkable achievement in sustainable aviation, it is clear that the journey towards a decarbonised future is not only possible but increasingly within reach. The collaboration between industry leaders, government, and academia stands as a testament to what can be achieved when we unite for a common goal. Let us continue to champion sustainable solutions for the aviation sector, paving the way for a greener, more responsible future for air travel.

Images courtesy of PA Media.