Sustainability In The Air

What if the push for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) could drive transformation across industries? In our latest podcast episode, Dick Benschop, Chair of the Board at Mission Possible Partnership, explains why breaking silos between hard-to-abate sectors is critical for scaling decarbonisation faster. "What makes [decarbonising aviation] challenging is the level of growth and the fact that we are only at the beginning of the decarbonising journey. It's a race to achieve scale, and it's a race against time." Speaking with Shashank Nigam ✈, Benschop shares how aviation's SAF blending mandates are already influencing green ammonia policies for fertiliser and shipping. He also explores how market mechanisms, policy frameworks, and financial instruments can accelerate progress across sectors. Here are the key highlights of the conversation: 💚 Mission Possible Partnership's role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors (2:25) 💚 SAF project tracker and current status (4:55) 💚 European blending mandate for sustainable aviation fuels (10:46) 💚 Potential of carbon pricing and taxation in aviation (15:20) 💚 Hydrogen and battery electric aircraft potential (22:48) 💚 Scaling SAF without competing with other sectors (26:41) 💚 Breaking down silos between different industrial sectors (30:18) 💚 Rapid Fire! (42:35) 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favourite podcast platform or subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/dux44Z25 #podcast

The clean energy transition faces a critical challenge: the high cost of green hydrogen. But what if the solution lies not in manufacturing hydrogen but in extracting it directly from the Earth? Dirk Singer spoke with Viacheslav Zgonnik, a leading expert in hydrogen exploration with over a decade of experience, to explore the potential of so-called white hydrogen. Interestingly, this idea isn’t new. Soviet scientists extensively explored natural hydrogen deposits decades ago, laying the groundwork for today’s investigations. Key insights from the conversation: 💚 Extraction could cost as little as $0.5-$1 per kg, making it cheaper than grey hydrogen and unlocking price-competitive synthetic aviation and maritime fuels. 💚 No need for vast renewable energy inputs. Unlike green hydrogen, white hydrogen is naturally generated – it just needs to be extracted. 💚 Minimal surface impact on land footprint, making it an ideal solution for land-constrained regions. Of course, challenges remain – from regulations to storage and transport. But with pioneers like Zgonnik and startups like Koloma (backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and United Airlines) leading the way, this could be the breakthrough clean energy has been waiting for. Could white hydrogen make sustainable aviation fuels truly competitive? Read more in our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/diU8xYvj #hydrogen #whitehydrogen #cleanenergy #cleantech

Happy Friday! We’ve got 20 news headlines that you won’t want to miss this week – all highlighting the latest advancements and initiatives in aviation sustainability. Subscribe for free to receive new posts straight in your inbox: https://lnkd.in/dxmkcqcn ✍️ By Shubhodeep Pal #sustainableaviation

Can philanthropic funding help drive aviation’s transition to net zero? In today’s podcast episode, Anna Stratton, Associate Director of Aviation at ClimateWorks Foundation, sits down with Shashank Nigam ✈ to discuss how strategic philanthropy can accelerate aviation’s path to net zero. ClimateWorks is one of the few organisations with a dedicated aviation strategy and has granted over $2 billion in more than 50 countries, establishing itself as a pivotal force in climate action. Here are the key highlights of the conversation: 💚 ClimateWorks’ unique role as a philanthropy re-granter (3:24) 💚 Aviation decarbonisation strategy and focus areas (5:31) 💚 Business travel demand reduction and Travel Smart campaign (7:05) 💚 Europe’s ReFuelEU policy as a model for SAF development (13:54) 💚 Hydrogen’s potential for short and medium-haul flights (20:55) 💚 Contrail mitigation as a near-term opportunity (28:47) 💚 The importance of civil society in driving change (32:45) 💚 Global equity in aviation’s green transition (35:56) 💚 Rapid fire! (42:49) 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform or subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/dx5GFdEn #sustainableaviation #podcast

What if algae could fuel your flight without requiring valuable land or genetic modification? HutanBio is doing just that, using naturally resilient algae strains that thrive on desert coastal land – areas with little other productive use. This approach sidesteps the challenges other algae-based fuels face. HutanBio’s approach is simple, scalable, and cost-effective. “We’ve been benchmarking against marine fuel, which costs around $1,200 to $1,500 a tonne, and we’re well within those parameters while still being profitable,” says Brittany Hook. Their algae oil can be used directly in marine applications and, with minimal refinement, for aviation fuel – offering a more affordable alternative to traditional SAF, which can cost 2-7 times more than jet fuel. Discover how HutanBio is shaking up the algae biofuel space in Dirk Singer's interview with Brittany Hook, Business Development Director: https://lnkd.in/dzA_khYP #algae #biofuels #saf

Happy Friday! We’ve got 20 news headlines that you won’t want to miss this week – all highlighting the latest advancements and initiatives in aviation sustainability. Subscribe for free to receive new posts straight in your inbox: https://lnkd.in/d-RU59ki ✍️ By Shubhodeep Pal #sustainableaviation

Airports face a daunting challenge: reducing emissions while only controlling a fraction of their carbon footprint. For example, at Heathrow, 95% of emissions come from aircraft operations, while only 0.1% falls under the airport's direct control. In today's podcast episode, Matthew Gorman, Heathrow's Director of Carbon Strategy, sits down with Shashank Nigam ✈ to discuss how the airport is addressing this through sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and industry-wide collaboration. Here are the key highlights of the conversation: 💚 Heathrow's carbon footprint – scopes 1, 2 and 3 (6:57) 💚 2030 carbon reduction targets for flights and ground operations (9:21) 💚 Incentivising SAF adoption through landing charges (14:35) 💚 Passenger education campaign on SAF (19:26) 💚 Feasibility of hydrogen as an aviation fuel (25:14) 💚 NOx emissions reduction targets and initiatives (28:45) 💚 Influencing sustainability policy through the Jet Zero Task Force and 💚 Sustainable Aviation (31:44) 💚 Collaborating with airlines on Heathrow's sustainability strategy (35:06) 💚 Balancing growth with sustainability (37:50) 💚 Rapid fire! (43:58) 🎧 Listen now on your favourite podcast platform or subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/d_qHqAgy #podcast #heathrow #airports #netzero

🚀 futur/io Institute’s Energy Futures Forum /25 is kicking off with a fascinating keynote on The Future of Energy and Aviation by Shashank Nigam ✈ (SimpliFlying) and Robert Schuetzle (Infinium) 🌍✈️ This keynote is part of a larger conversation exploring critical topics like lighthouse pilot projects, climate tech innovations, and the role of corporate investment in driving the energy transition. ⚡💼 Looking forward to diving deeper into these discussions with brilliant minds shaping the future of energy! #EnergyFutures #Sustainability #Innovation #Davos2025

Can the ocean hold the key to scalable, cost-effective green fuels? Achim Hoffmann, founder of ocane, thinks it just might. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, he was struck by an IPCC chart showing the ocean’s immense thermal energy reserves. This insight inspired Ocane’s innovative approach: extracting hydrogen and CO2 directly from seawater to create “p-fuels” (proton-based fuels). Ocane’s concept offers a fresh perspective on green fuel production. Unlike traditional e-fuels, which rely on electrolysers powered by renewable energy, Ocane explores the potential of the ocean’s self-ionisation process – a natural phenomenon they believe could significantly reduce costs and simplify the process of sourcing sustainable fuel components. Read the full story in our latest newsletter by Dirk Singer: https://lnkd.in/dBfz8yMz #sustainablefuels

Driving meaningful change in the travel industry starts with reliable data – and bold collaboration. When Travalyst began, many said uniting competitors like Google, Booking.com, Expedia Group, and global distribution systems was impossible. “Everybody said you’re crazy. You will never get these competitors to work together,” recalls Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst. But the urgency of addressing tourism’s environmental impact proved stronger than the competition. Through this collaboration, Travalyst developed the open-source Travel Impact Model (TIM), making sustainability data accessible to all and empowering informed, sustainable choices at scale. Learn how they’re reshaping the future of travel in our latest podcast episode – available now on all major podcast platforms: https://lnkd.in/ddVFv8gc #podcast