Green aviation fuel developer Velocys has welcomed the government鈥檚 formation of a 鈥楯et Zero Council鈥.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced the launch - together with the target to achieve sustainable flight within a generation - referencing the refinery development on the South Humber Bank as he did so.
Prominent figures from industry, green groups and government will be united to make sustainable aviation a possibility.
It came hours after Whitehall signed off on a 拢500,000 grant for the company that could invest up to 拢500 million in North East Lincolnshire.
Mr Shapps, who took Friday鈥檚 coronavirus briefing, told how the crisis had tested the nation, but said through adversity comes possibility.
鈥淭he challenge is to make transport, currently our biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, part of the solution, not the problem,鈥 he said.
鈥淭ake the aviation sector, which has had an impossible few months. Yet, despite the obvious challenges, there鈥檚 a real determination within the industry to have a greener restart.
鈥淪o we鈥檙e bringing together leaders from aviation, environmental groups and government to form the Jet Zero Council. This group will be charged with making net zero emissions possible for future flights.
鈥淥ur goal 鈥 within a generation 鈥 will be to demonstrate flight across the Atlantic, without harming the environment, and we鈥檙e backing a company called Velocys who are building a plant for aviation biofuels in Lincolnshire.
鈥淭he shared experience of fighting coronavirus has changed us in many ways. Although it has forced us apart, it has also brought us together.
鈥淎lthough it has tested us, it has also shown us at our very best.
鈥淎nd although it has made us reflect on the past, it鈥檚 focused on those plans for the future.鈥
The formation of a Jet Zero Council completed a hat-trick of positives for Velocys, having received the cash injection as part of the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition, as well as the formal notice for the planning consent granted by the local authority last month.
Henrik Wareborn, Velocys chief executive, said: 鈥淭he announcement on the formation of a Jet Zero Council shows that a new era of net zero carbon flying is on a credible path, at a time when we need it more than ever.
"This follows earlier news that our Altalto waste-to-jet fuel facility 鈥 the first of its kind in the 海角视频 鈥 has received additional funding from Government and formally received planning permission, meaning it could be producing sustainable aviation fuel in commercial scale by the middle of this decade.鈥
Backed by British Airways and Shell, the Altalto Immingham scheme will convert hundreds of thousands of tonnes of domestic 鈥榖lack bin bag鈥 waste into jet fuel, at a site in Stallingborough - close to the 海角视频鈥檚 largest port and two oil refineries - where a direct pipeline to Heathrow is operated from.
Following the planning success both Mr Wareborn and fellow director Dr Neville Hargreaves had outlined the importance of government support through various instruments to make the sector more investor-friendly.
It included tweaks to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and the 海角视频 Guarantees Scheme. Mr Shapps' welcome mention of the huge project follows support from Aviation Minister Kelly Tolhurst when approval was granted.聽
