A next generation sustainable fuel made by recycling waste carbon gases has been used in a commercial flight for the first time.
The first batch of LanzaTech jet fuel helped power a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 flight from Orlando, which was due to land at Gatwick this morning.
The airline is calling on the government to commit to making the biofuel a commercial reality in the UK.
The green initiative creates an opportunity to produce up to 125 million gallons of jet fuel a year in UK, to fuel all Virgin Atlantic flights departing Britain, providing nearly one million tonnes of CO2 savings, according to the carrier.
Allowing access for new carbon capture and utilisation technologies like LanzaTech’s to incentives already given to earlier generations of biofuels and providing critical investor support will enable first plants to be swiftly built, Virgin Atlantic added.
LanzaTech produces next generation fuels by recycling waste industrial gases like those produced from steel making and other heavy industrial processes.
The company takes these waste, carbon-rich gases to first make ethanol. The ethanol can be used for a range of low carbon products, including jet fuel.
The alcohol-to-jet process used to make the fuel in the transatlantic flight was developed in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Lab and the US Department of Energy.
Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson, who was meeting the flight today, said: “Long-haul travel is more important than ever for connecting people around the world. And it’s our responsibility to ensure we’re doing that in the most sustainable way possible.
“Working with LanzaTech will enable us to drastically reduce our carbon emissions and at the same time, help support UK industry. That’s why we’re so excited to showcase this fuel on its first commercial flight as we plan for the world’s first full scale jet fuel plant using this amazing new technology.”
The carrier’s CEO Craig Kreeger added: “We’ve always been committed to reducing our environmental impact and LanzaTech will play a big part in that ambition.
“Alongside flying more efficient aircraft, sustainable jet fuel is critical to reducing our carbon footprint in the future.
“We’re excited to host this landmark event and are now calling on the UK government to commit to the critical next steps to help bring this next generation sustainable fuel to the UK.”
LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren said: “Today, with our carbon smart partner, Virgin Atlantic, we have shown that recycling waste carbon emissions into jet fuel is not impossible, that waste carbon needs to be thought as an opportunity not a liability, that carbon can be reused over and over again.
“We thank all our partners and governments on both sides of the Atlantic for their support. Together we can create the carbon future we need.”