Marking a new era in sustainable air travel British entrepreneur Dale Vince is all set to launch an electric airline powered using renewable energy. The airline plans to commence operations from 2023 using a 19 to 70 sear turboprop eventually using hydrogen-electric powertrains to power the flights.
“Short-term, to secure routes and a license from the Civil Aviation Authority, Ecojet will initially fly using conventionally fuelled planes. The aircraft would be retrofitted with the hydrogen-electric power trains as soon they become approved for service by the CAA,” Ecojet said in a statement.
The first retrofits are slated for 2025, a year after flights begin. Onboard meals will be plant-based, and single-use plastic will be scrapped.
Emphasizing further on sustainability, Ecojet further added: ““Repurposing planes instead of building new ones will save 90,000 tonnes of carbon per year, the statement said. “The only byproduct will be water, which can be captured and released into the lower atmosphere to avoid the harmful effects of contrails.”
The founder, Dale Vince is also the founder of British energy firm Ecotricity.
“The question of how to create sustainable air travel has plagued the green movement for decades. Ecojet is by far the most significant step towards a solution to date,” Vince said.