Heathrow have accused the Government of stalling on their promise for a greener future in aviation.
Heathrow have been running a scheme for airlines providing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) covering around half of the extra cost.
SAF is made from sustainable materials and sources. Agricultural waste and used cooking oil are the main ingredients, translating to 70% less carbon than traditional jet fuel.
Heathrow have urged ministers to change the current scheme to allow more financial security for companies producing SAF in the UK. In response, The Department for Transport have announced they will release a revenue certainty mechanism by the end of 2026.
The West London airport announced on Thursday it will make £71 million available to carriers through the programme in 2024 as they aim for 2.5% of fuel used at the airport to be SAF. This figure is up from a target of 1.5% this year.
Under the DfT’s SAF mandate, at least 10% of the fuel used by airlines in the UK must be made from sustainable feedstocks by 2030.
Heathrow Director of Carbon Matt Gorman said: “Sustainable aviation fuels are a proven reality – they have already powered hundreds of thousands of flights and we will soon show we can fly the Atlantic fossil fuel free.”
Virgin Atlantic are living proof:
bp 🤝@RollsRoyce 🤝@VirginAtlantic
We’ve joined forces with these aviation heavyweights to enable the world’s first-ever transatlantic flight on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (#SAF) by a commercial airline!
The flight is scheduled for takeoff on Tuesday 28 November – watch… pic.twitter.com/Hfh4i0RGLk
— bp (@bp_plc) November 23, 2023
“Heathrow’s first of its kind incentive scheme has seen SAF use at the airport ramp up in recent years.
“Now, the Government needs to capitalise on this strong demand and legislate for a revenue certainty mechanism to enable a homegrown SAF industry, before it is too late for the UK to benefit from jobs, growth and energy security this would bring.”
Earlier this week, Transport Secretary Mark Harper insisted the UK is “on track” to meet its target of having at least five commercial SAF plants in construction by 2025.
