easyJet has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with aircraft manufacturer Airbus to support the development of carbon removal technology.
The partners will also explore opportunities for a future supply of carbon removal credits from direct air capture technology.
Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) is a technology that captures carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere and then securely stores it underground.
EasyJet said it is among the first airlines in the world to support this technology, which can support the achievement of net-zero targets.
Last year, easyJet joined the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign and committed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The airline has also recently announced its interim carbon reduction target, a 35% carbon emissions intensity improvement by 2035 compared to 2020.
EasyJet is working with partners across the industry, including Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GKN Aerospace, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions and Wright Electric, on several projects to accelerate the development of future zero-carbon emission aircraft technology.
Jane Ashton, easyJet’s director of sustainability, said: “Decarbonising a hard-to-abate sector, such as aviation, is a huge challenge, that no one airline can tackle alone and it’s great to see the industry coming together through Airbus’ initiative.
“We believe that carbon removal solutions will be an essential element of our pathway to net-zero, complementing other components such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which has a similar net impact on carbon reduction, and helping us to neutralise any residual emissions in the future.
“Direct air capture is a nascent technology with a huge potential, so we are very pleased to be part of this important initiative and hope that governments will also recognise the potential of this technology and introduce policy instruments and financial incentives in its support.
“Ultimately, our ambition is to achieve zero-carbon emission flying, and we are working with partners across the industry, including Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GKN Aerospace, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions and Wright Electric, on several dedicated projects to accelerate the development of future zero carbon emission aircraft technology.”