Jet2 invests in development of SAF production plant in Cheshire
Ilaria Grasso MacolaJet2 plc has invested in the construction of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Cheshire, the group announced on Thursday (27 April).
As part of the deal, Jet2 will invest an equity stake in the plant, which is currently being developed by clean energy firm Fulcrum BioEnergy UK in Ellesmere Port. In return, it expects to receive 200 million litres of SAF over a 15-year period starting from 2027.
Made up of household and food scraps, the green fuel will also be directly delivered to Manchester airport through the existing jet fuel pipework infrastructure instead of being transported by road.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chief executive Steve Heapy said the investment underlined the group’s commitment to tackling its climate impact.
“Whether investing in SAF, spending billions on our aircraft fleet, or placing a price on every tonne of carbon we emit, we are putting sustainable travel at the heart of our business,” said Heapy.
“By doing this, our customers know they are travelling with an airline and holiday company that takes its environmental impact seriously and takes substantial action to address it too.”
The announcement comes as part of the group’s net-zero strategy, which includes the purchase of up to 146 greener Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft.
“Our investment is a very clear demonstration that we are backing SAF and the UK production of SAF early,” Heapy continued. “We are calling on the UK government to scale up its level of ambition and support for SAF production too.
“Doing this will help achieve decarbonisation of the aviation sector, stimulate uptake and seize the enormous economic opportunity here in the UK.”
The government recently announced it will continue to work on the production of SAF, pledging to invest millions of pounds in plants as well as supporting the research behind green fuels on a larger scale.
Jet2 is not the only airline to invest in SAF production, with Wizz Air announcing on Tuesday it will pump £5 million into Bristol-based biofuel company Firefly to supply its UK operations with SAF.
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