Launching the first round of the Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure competition – the UK Government has announced that it will award businesses and universities around the UK up to £50,000 each to pioneer critical research into infrastructure, such as charge points and hydrogen fuelling tanks, that will enable the mass uptake of electric and hydrogen aircraft.
Part of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan, the £3 million fund will ramp up the move towards sustainable flying to support aviation reach net zero by 2050.
This follows on from news that members of the Jet Zero Council, British Airways, this week carried out the world’s first net zero carbon freighter flights powered by a mix of sustainably sourced waste such as cooking oil. This is set to be the first of many flights with BA ordering 1.2 million litres of the fuel.
“As the first major economy to commit to net zero by 2050, we’ve gone further than any country in the world to slash our aviation emissions - providing leadership, funding and the framework needed to lead the charge,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. “Now is the time for organisations and companies to take advantage of the opportunities we have provided to harness the economic and environmental benefits building back better and greener has to offer.”
The Jet Zero Council has met for the third time to set out plans to “put UK aviation at the heart of the UK’s pandemic recovery – building back better and greener through the uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel and the development of zero aircraft and infrastructure”.
Through the work of its dedicated delivery groups and £18 million of new funding, the Council states that it has led the uptake and development of trailblazing Sustainable Aviation Fuels. “With COP26 on the horizon, the UK hopes to showcase the progress made by encouraging delegates to fly on planes fuelled by SAF, showing just how far the collaboration between Government and Industry has come”.