Friday, March 8, 2024
Jet2.com has announced its intention to utilize a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend at Bristol Airport in 2024, nearly a year ahead of the UK Government’s scheduled SAF mandate, slated for introduction in 2025.
Procuring over 300 tonnes of SAF from Q8Aviation, the UK’s third largest airline plans to incorporate a 1% SAF blend into select departing flights from Bristol Airport this year. The SAF purchased by Jet2.com emits at least 70% less greenhouse gases compared to conventional aviation fuel.
In addition to reaping environmental benefits, Jet2.com’s adoption of a SAF blend in 2024 allows the airline to proactively align its operations with the impending UK SAF mandate, set to take effect on January 1st, 2025. Under this mandate, airlines are mandated to ensure that at least 10% of jet fuel is derived from SAF by 2030.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is acknowledged as one of the most effective approaches to decarbonize aviation in the short to medium term, as recently affirmed by the Transport Select Committee stated “Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are the most viable option for the immediate reduction of aviation emissions.”
Jet2 plc has taken a significant step forward by investing in a new Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production plant, marking one of the pioneering ventures in UK aviation. The investment is aimed at the Fulcrum NorthPoint facility, a Waste-to-Fuels plant developed by Fulcrum BioEnergy Ltd, slated to be built in the North West of England.
Once operational, the Fulcrum NorthPoint facility will supply Jet2.com with over 200 million liters of SAF and is expected to create approximately 1,500 jobs, contributing to both the national and local economy.
This investment underscores Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, aligning with government objectives, with ambitions to accelerate this timeline. The company has laid out its sustainability strategy, detailing targets and initiatives, with an upcoming update scheduled for release this year.
Key elements of the strategy include the procurement of 98 firm-ordered Airbus A320/A321 neo aircraft, with the potential to expand to 146 aircraft. This fleet expansion aims to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions per passenger. Jet2.com has already received five of these new aircraft.
Furthermore, Jet2holidays has introduced a new hotel sustainability labeling scheme, allowing customers and travel agents to easily identify and select from a curated list of certified sustainable hotels meeting Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Recognized standards. The collection, featuring over 900 hotels, is accessible on www.jet2holidays.com/sustainable-hotels.
Despite Jet2’s investments in SAF, the absence of a fully developed domestic SAF industry leaves the UK reliant on costly imported fuel or subject to buy-out prices, posing a competitive disadvantage for UK airlines and travelers alike.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “Travel and tourism is a force for good and, like all industries, we know how critical it is to mitigate our climate impacts. Like many, we see SAF as essential in helping the industry do this, which is why we are using a SAF blend at Bristol Airport in 2024 so that we can realise its benefits and prepare our operation for what we anticipate will be more and more SAF uptake. This announcement, in addition to our investment into a new SAF plant in the North West of England, shows how committed we are to SAF and how much we believe in unlocking its huge potential. We very much see 1% as the starting point and we want to grow this materially over the coming years.”
He added: “Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to unlock the huge potential of a UK SAF industry. Without more supplies of UK SAF and greater support to incentivise its uptake and reduce its cost, our industry and UK holidaymakers are at a disadvantage. This is too much of an important opportunity to miss, as such an industry could provide 20,000 jobs and £3bn in economic activityiii by 2035. The UK Government must implement the price revenue mechanism earlier than the current timeline of 2026 which means we can secure investor confidence, build the UK SAF plants that we need, and turbocharge the UK SAF industry.”
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
