Sustainable Aviation today welcomed the Department for Transport’s announcement of a consultation to develop new sustainable fuel policies for aviation.

Sustainable Aviation, the coalition of airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and air traffic service providers, has long called for the Government to deliver a level playing field for aviation biofuels.  Currently, under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RFTO) only suppliers of road transport fuels are eligible to receive incentives to produce sustainable fuels. This consultation has the potential to create the right economic conditions for the production of truly innovative and sustainable bio jet-fuels.

Ian Jopson, chair of Sustainable Aviation said:  “This is a welcome step-forward and could mean a more sustainable future for aviation in the UK and beyond. We believe that producers of sustainable aviation fuel should be able to benefit from the new policy framework by allowing them to ‘opt-in’ to the system to receive credits.  It is an exciting prospect and could lead to the UK taking a leading role in the production of sustainable jet fuel.  We need to ensure that the new regulations are fully supportive of all innovative low carbon technologies and attract investment in the UK.”

It’s not just the environment that will benefit from Government-led incentives for sustainable jet fuel production. Research by Sustainable Aviation has identified that UK policy support could lead to the creation of up to 12 operational sustainable fuel plants, creating up to 4,400 jobs and be worth up to £300 million to the UK economy by 2030.  By 2050, Sustainable fuels could be expected to reduce UK aviation emissions by up to 24 per cent.

This represents an important step to realise the ambitious global goal for the aviation industry to deliver carbon neutral growth from 2020 and a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050 over 2005 levels. The role of sustainable fuels in reducing UK aviation’s carbon emissions, alongside other measures, including improved operating procedures, adoption of new engine and aircraft technology and market based measures will be outlined in the latest version of Sustainable Aviation Carbon Road-Map which will be launched at the House of Commons on  5 December.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• Sustainable Aviation is a coalition of UK airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and the air traffic service provider, which works to deliver cleaner, quieter, smarter flying.
• It acts as a long term strategy which sets out the collective approach of UK aviation to tackling the challenge of ensuring a sustainable future for the UK aviation industry.
• Launched in 2005, it is a world first, bringing together major UK airlines, airports, manufacturers and air navigation service providers towards a collective sustainability goal.
• The Sustainable Aviation Sustainable Fuels Road-Map was first published in December 2014 and is available here: https://www.sustainableaviation.co.uk/road-maps/
• A full list of Sustainable Aviation members is available here: https://www.sustainableaviation.co.uk/members-signatories

For further information please contact:

Neal Weston, Head of Policy, Airlines UK – 0207 808 7111  or email info@sustainableaviation.local.