As part of its Net Zero Strategy, the UK government has
announced it will provide £180 million in funding to support the development of
sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plants in the nation.
The government said its ambition is to enable the UK’s
aviation industry to utilise 10 per cent SAF by 2030, a milestone that is seen
as a key factor in decarbonising the sector. It follows £21 million in funding for SAF announced last year.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said the funding would also
help to create “thousands of green jobs across the country”.
SAF is typically produced using waste and raw residue
materials such as used cooking oil and produces up to 80 per cent less
greenhouse gas emissions than traditional fossil fuels.
The announcement comes after Heathrow airport chief
executive John Holland-Kaye called on the government to implement progressive
mandates on the use of SAF as well as policies that could help scale up its
production, which currently does not meet global aviation fuel demands.
Several international airlines have pledged to use SAF to
power at least 10 per cent of flights by 2030, including International Airlines
Group, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines,
among others.
Heathrow and Gatwick have both made moves to integrate SAF
into their fuel supplies.
Responding to the announcement, Nora Lovell Marchant, vice president of global sustainability at American Express Global Business Travel, said: “The UK Government’s £180 million investment to support sustainable aviation fuel development is a key step forward on the path to net zero emissions for travel and aviation. SAF is the only existing way we can meaningfully reduce emissions. If the UK is to achieve its net zero target by 2050, collaboration and investment across the public and private sectors will be necessary.”
In addition to money for SAF development, the government
will inject an extra £350 million of its existing up to £1 billion commitment
to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains, as well
as £620 million for electric vehicle grants and infrastructure, particularly
local on-street residential charge points.
Prime minister Boris Johnson said: “The UK’s path to ending
our contribution to climate change will be paved with well-paid jobs, billions
in investment and thriving green industries – powering our green industrial
revolution across the country.”
Shapps added: “We published our Transport Decarbonisation
Plan in July, which was just the start – as we look ahead to the COP26 climate
change conference and beyond, we need to continue our efforts to deliver its
ambitious commitments. This will provide certainty to drivers and industry as
we create sustainable economic growth, boost job opportunities and clean up the
air in our towns and cities.”
The UK will host the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference
(COP26) in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November.