Biofuels

All airlines consume jet fuel that is refined from fossil fuels, predominately crude oil. The consumption of these adds to the CO₂ in the atmosphere and therefore contributes to global warming. As a responsible airline, British Airways wishes to find sustainable fuel alternatives. The consumption of jet fuel represents 99% of our overall carbon footprint and while we continue to implement sustainable practices in other aspects of our business, we have a key focus on the jet fuel that powers our aircraft.

A digger piles up waste material inside a warehouse.

Solena

Working with US technology company Solena, we are developing Europe’s first sustainable biomass-to-liquid biojet plant, converting waste materials into sustainable alternative fuels. The plant will process residual waste (i.e. waste that cannot be reclaimed or recycled) into biojet fuel, renewable naphtha, electricity and heat.

Engineers run tests on a Rolls-Royce engine in a hanger.

Rolls Royce Testing

We are conducting a series of tests working with Rolls Royce on those aviation fuels not currently on the certification roadmap. The aim of evaluating these alternative sustainable fuels is to discover fuels or fuel blends that can provide viable sustainable substitutes for jet fuel (kerosene) and be included within international aviation fuel specifications.

CG impression of floating pods growing algae.

The Sea Green Project

As part of a Sustainable Use of Renewable Fuels (SURF) consortium British Airways is working with Cranfield University and other industrial partners to assist in a project to cultivate algae at commercial scale and to use this for the production of sustainable biojet fuel.