The UK government launched the contest in May which sees the winning airline receive funding for the net-zero flight which will use 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from London to New York.
Virgin will use one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners for the historic flight between Heathrow and JFK airports. SAF can reduce carbon emissions from flights by up to 80% compared with traditional kerosene jet fuel.
The consortium working on the project also includes Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Imperial College London, University of Sheffield, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and consulting firm ICF.
The type SAF likely to be used for Virgin’s flight will mostly be made from waste oils and fats, such as cooking oil. Using the sustainable fuel combined with carbon removal through biochar credits will make the flight net-zero. Biochar is a material which traps and stores carbon taken from the atmosphere.
Shai Weiss, Virgin Atlantic’s chief executive, said: “We’re proud to lead a cross-industry consortium of partners to make aviation history by operating the first ever 100% SAF flight across the Atlantic. It will be an honour to pave the way for this important business and leisure route to become even more sustainable.
“This challenge recognises the critical role that SAF has to play in decarbonising aviation and the urgent collective action needed to scale production and use of SAF globally.”
The global airline sector is seeking to reach net-zero on carbon emissions by 2050 with the use of SAF expected to account for about two-thirds of the mitigation needed to achieve this goal. Earlier this month, Virgin agreed a deal to buy SAF to power its flights from California.
The government is planning to introduce a SAF mandate requiring at least 10% of jet fuel to be made from sustainable sources by 2030, as part of its own Jet Zero strategy to decarbonise aviation.
Transport secretary Mark Harper added: “For decades, flying from London to New York has symbolised aviation’s ability to connect people and drive international progress. It’s now going to be at the forefront of cutting carbon emissions from flying.
“Not only will this flight pave the way for future generations, but it will demonstrate just how much we can achieve when we work together on a shared goal – bringing together some of the best businesses and academics in the world and led by a British airline.”
Sheila Remes, vice-president, environmental sustainability at Boeing, said: “Our longstanding sustainability partnership with Virgin dates back to the historic 2008 commercial SAF test flight on a Boeing 747.
“Together, as we add another SAF ‘first’ to our partnership and to the benefit of the industry, we know we are one step closer to a sustainable future of flight that will have zero climate impact.”
