BA signs second SAF partnership

By integrating sustainable aviation fuels, BA hopes to achieve its goal of becoming net-zero by 2050

Heathrow-based British Airways announced that future flights will be powered by sustainable aviation fuel after entering into a new partnership with LanzaJet – a green jet fuel company.

BA is set to invest in the company’s first commercial scale Freedom Pines Fuels facility based in Georgia, United States. The airline hopes to acquire cleaner sustainable aviation fuel from the site.

British Airways
Photo British Airways 

The flag carrier predicts that fuel will be available to power a variety of its flights by the end of next year. The partnership also involves the potential planning of a commercial facility for British Airways, situated in the UK.

Sean Doyle, CEO of British Airways, believes that addressing climate change should remain the top priority “despite the crisis in global aviation”.

“The UK has the experience and resources needed to become a global leader in the deployment of such sustainable aviation fuel production facilities, and we need Government support to drive decarbonisation and accelerate the realisation of this vision.”

Construction is set to begin on the plant in Georgia later this year. Sustainable ethanol will be converted into aviation fuel by using patented chemical processes.

Integrating the usage of these aviation fuels forms part of the airlines commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. BA already has a partnership with sustainable fuels technology company, Velocys which has a goal of converting all household and commercial waste into renewable jet fuel in the UK by 2025.

Over the next 20 years, International Airlines Group – British Airway’s parent company – will invest around $400m (£290m) in sustainable aviation fuel.

Both BA and LanzaTech are part of the Jet Zero Council – a collaboration between the government and industry to push the net-zero emission goals for aviation.