Government offers £43m in bid to 'power up' green aviation

The transport secretary is due to gather industry leaders together today (Tuesday) after more than £40 million was set aside for research and development projects that help to deliver net zero aviation by 2050.

 

Heidi Alexander will chair a meeting with leading airlines, airports, innovators and engineering firms to discuss how new technology will decarbonise the sector while delivering growth.  

 

Businesses, researchers and universities across the UK will be invited to bid for their share of the £43 million, with competitions starting from next month to allocate the funding. 

 

The Civil Aviation Authority will develop regulations required for the widespread use of hydrogen fuel through the investment. 

 

In further support for the sector, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill, coming into force later this year, aims to provide long-term certainty for the SAF market by guaranteeing a set price for UK producers, helping the country meet its climate targets.

 

This is backed by an £63 million announced last summer to accelerate SAF production plants.

 

The technologies to be developed with the fresh funding, such as clean fuels and zero-emission aircraft, are designed to help deliver on a government vision to expand airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton “in line with climate targets, by decarbonising aviation and improving air quality”. 

 

The investment could also be used for a trial to understand how contrails -  condensation trails produced from aircraft exhausts that can contribute to global warming - could be avoided.   

 

Some of the funding will support the use and tracking of SAF in regions like Africa and the Caribbean, and improve their participation in schemes that offset global aviation emissions.  

 

“This will ensure UK airlines are not at a financial disadvantage to airlines based in low-income countries, who can avoid the costs associated with carbon offsetting because they do not have the required tracking and implementation tools,” the Department for Transport noted.

 

Ministers believe the production of low-carbon fuels alone is expected to add up to £5 billion to the economy by 2050 and they hope the state funding will drive “millions of pounds” of private investment into the aviation sector,  funding projects to slash emissions.   

 

Alexander said:  “We’re backing UK businesses by powering up green aviation. Our £43 million investment will deliver the cutting-edge technology of the future, grow the economy and support highly skilled jobs as part of our mission to deliver national renewal.  

 

“Zero emission aircraft, hydrogen fuels and other emerging technologies are vital to reduce the climate impacts from flying, and will enable us to deliver our airport expansion plans to boost connectivity and grow the economy.” 

 

Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade said: "Today’s investment in zero and lower emission technology is playing an important part in delivering a sustainable future for UK aviation, a process well underway with the launch last year of the sustainable aviation fuel mandate and imminent passage of the SAF revenue certainty mechanism into law. 

 

“The ongoing work of the Jet Zero Taskforce, bringing government, industry and experts together to drive progress, is a critical part of our collective efforts to ensure net zero remains a reality for our sector.”

 

A Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance spokesperson said: “The funding for green aviation projects announced today will help ensure the UK leads the future of flight. 

 

“Hydrogen-powered aviation is at the heart of this ambition and is essential to decarbonising aviation while ensuring the sustainable growth of our industry.

“We welcome the government’s support for pioneering businesses developing zero-emission aviation technologies, alongside its commitment to enabling the Civil

Aviation Authority to put in place the right regulations for the use of hydrogen fuel. 

 

“These are important steps on the journey to making hydrogen-powered flight a reality and securing a competitive, sustainable future for UK aviation.”