28 November 2023. At 11:49 GMT, a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 took off from London-Heathrow Airport. What was distinctive about this flight? It was the first long-haul commercial flight to use SAF, or composite aviation fuel, in its entirety. This event marked a milestone in the quest for greener air transportation.
What is SAF made of?
The fuel used to power Tuesday's flight was mostly made from used cooking oil (UCO) and animal fat waste. Its production requires 70% less carbon compared to conventional aviation fuels. SAF is already used in blends with conventional fuel, but thanks to successful ground tests, Virgin Atlantic and its partners have received approval from regulators in the US, Canada and the UK to fly 100% on SAF.
Impact on the aviation industry
The plane landed safely at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport at 2:05 pm EST. British Transport Minister Mark Harper described the flight as a watershed moment for the adoption of fully composite jet fuel. "If you didn't know it was a 100% SAF flight, no one would have noticed," he said. - Harper stressed.
HVO as an alternative to automotive
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is one of the latest developments in the environmental protection and decarbonization of aviation. Its potential has been realized not only in the aviation industry.
Quite recently, the Avia gas station chain announced the launch of HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) fuel - a well-known blend of fats and vegetable oils for years. HVO100 fuel is now available at one of Avia's stations in Myszęcin.
HVO as an alternative to automotive
HVO, or hydrotreated vegetable oil, is a synthetic fuel for diesel engines. It can be used without any modifications in cars and can be mixed with diesel fuel in any proportion.
HVO as an alternative to automotive
Such innovations demonstrate the growing importance of using waste materials, such as used cooking oil, to reduce emissions and promote complex transportation.
A flight from London to New York and HVO fuel are two examples of how UCO, or used cooking oil, can change the face of modern transportation. They show that changes toward a greener future are possible, and that innovations in this field have real environmental benefits.
