The world’s first-ever net-zero transatlantic flight in 2023 will fly on used cooking oil and other waste oils.
The Virgin Atlantic flying from London to New York will be the first passenger flight to use only sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Compared to conventional fossil jet fuel, SAF can reduce carbon emissions by nearly 70% when entirely replacing aviation kerosene. Using 100% SAF and carbon removal using credits for biochar, a substance that captures and stores carbon removed from the atmosphere, will result in a net-zero flight.
There are still difficulties, like the need to scale up SAF manufacturing, high fuel production costs, and technology risk at the commercial scale. However, SAF-powered planes offer hope for future greener flights to an industry that could be among the leading emitters of greenhouse gases by the year 2050 if no quick action is taken.
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