Ministers have launched a £15m competition to reduce aviation emissions.
The Green Fuel, Green Skies contest is part of the prime minister’s Ten Point Plan for decarbonisation and will support the discovery and development of new facilities capable of turning everyday waste into jet fuel.
'Offering emissions savings of more than 70% compared to conventional jet fuel, these trailblazing projects will help put flying onto a more sustainable path while helping to create up to 11,500 jobs over the coming decades,' Department for Transport officials said.
The technologies could convert household rubbish, waste wood and excess electricity into sustainable aviation fuel.
Companies will be able to bid for a share of the £15m to kickstart the development of 'first-of-a-kind production plants in the UK to produce these fuels at scale'.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: 'As the aviation sector emerges out of the pandemic and looks towards recovery over the coming months, we must put our environmental commitments at the centre of everything we do – so not only do we build back better, we also build back greener.
'That’s why we’re stepping up our work on the Council, recruiting new members and launching pioneering efforts to ensure that we continue to lead the world by example and deliver on our ambitious net-zero targets.'
The Government has also set up a Jet Zero Council to help address the issue of aviation emissions.
New additions to the council include the Royal Air Force and the Civil Aviation Authority.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: 'Today’s meeting of the Jet Zero Council demonstrates the vital collaboration between government and industry that will make zero-emission flights a reality.
'Britain’s aerospace sector is at the centre of our plans to build back greener from the pandemic. We are committed to supporting its recovery and investing in green tech to take us closer to zero carbon take-off.'
The Future Flight Challenge has also £125m of public funding committed over four years, matched by £175m from industry, to develop all-electric aircraft, drones and autonomous flight technologies.
Recently, Project 2ZERO announced plans to use its share of £2.4m through this fund to demonstrate flights of six and 19-seat hybrid-electric planes.
The project will test the use of electric and hybrid aircraft on regional routes, showing the potential to decarbonise aviation while supporting regional connectivity.
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