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01st Oct 2020

Velocys takes part in panel discussion at first ever Net Zero Festival

Velocys was delighted to appear at the world’s first ever Net Zero Festival, taking part in a panel discussion on the topic of ‘Prepping Net Zero Flight for Take Off.’

Henrik Wareborn, Velocys CEO, told the virtual audience that “what we can do here and now, today, is replace fossil jet fuel with synthetic jet fuel that doesn’t require us to drill for more crude oil.” He went on to outline the substantial environmental benefits of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), including net greenhouse gas savings of 70% for each tonne of conventional jet fuel displaced, up to 90% reduction in particulate matter from aircraft engine exhausts and almost 100% reduction in sulphur oxides.

The importance of SAF in industry decarbonisation efforts was supported by other panellists, including Paul Stein, CTO of Rolls Royce, who agreed “we need a call to arms globally to create the economic and regulatory conditions to encourage the ramp up of SAF”. Whilst John Holland-Kaye, CEO of Heathrow said that “the key change is switching to SAF, and we really need to have a massive injection of energy and investment if we are going to reach net zero by 2050.” He went on to call Velocys a “pioneer” in the sector.

Henrik Wareborn raised the potential use of mandates to encourage SAF usage both nationally and globally, on which John Holland-Kaye added that “the idea of a mandate for the proportion of SAF used in flights is very important and sends a demand signal,” with panellists agreeing that consistency is needed at an international level.

Whilst other technologies were discussed, the panel agreed that in the context of medium and long distance flight, the need to substitute fossil kerosene with SAF would be essential in the decarbonisation of aviation ahead. As the UK’s most advanced SAF project in development, Velocys has an essential role to play in the aviation sector reaching its 2050 net zero goals in the years ahead.

For more information on the Net Zero Festival, please see here.

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