KTN invited to join government's new Jet Zero Council

Alicia Greated has been invited to join the new Jet Zero Council and attended the first meeting co-chaired by the Transport Secretary, the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP and the Business Secretary, the Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP.  Representatives from the Aerospace, Aviation, Technology, Tourism and sustainable aviation fuel sectors, NGOs, academics and investors were joined at the meeting by the Prime Minister.

The Jet Zero Council is a government/industry partnership which will provide senior leadership and direction to help deliver the government’s ambitious targets on clean aviation.  The Council brings together every sector with an interest in tackling aviation emissions to look at working together on new technology and other measures to achieve sustainable aviation goals.

Boris Johnson made it clear at the meeting that the UK must be a global leader in zero-emission aircraft technology and sustainable aviation fuels with a clear ambition to demonstrate the first net-zero trans-Atlantic flight in 2040.

The UK is well-positioned to deliver this ambition with its strong aerospace expertise at Airbus, Rolls Royce and in the universities. The High-Value Manufacturing Catapults offer an expedient route for the supply chain to efficiently scale production and deliver new technologies.

KTN has already built a strong innovation network in the sustainable aviation fuel sector through its two-year Sustainable Aviation Fuel Innovation Network programme (2017-2019) and has worked closely with industry and government experts to define investment priorities to accelerate the industry as well as the barriers.

One such barrier is the fuel approval process. KTN set up a UK Clearing House Task Force with industry experts to create a business case for a national virtual capability to support producers through the early stages of fuel testing.  The Task Force is currently working with the government on the proposal.

Government is keen to drive forward the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels recognising their potential short to medium term carbon savings.  Sustainable aviation fuels offer a 70% reduction in life-cycle carbon and a 90% reduction in particulates making them cleaner burning than petroleum-based jet fuel.

The formation of the Jet Zero Council presents an exciting opportunity to deliver new aerospace technologies and drive forward a UK sustainable aviation fuel industry to benefit people, jobs, and the environment.