by Elsie Clark | Feb 24, 2026 | Innovation, Sustainability
Zero-emissions taxiing is the focus of a new project backed by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK. Led by Airbus, a consortium of partners including Drive System Design (DSD), Evolito, and the University of Southampton will work together to advance an electric wheel taxi system.
Such a solution could reduce taxi emissions by 47%, as aircraft could take off without deploying their main engines. Called Project SONATA, the consortium will develop a low speed, high torque electric motor and other infrastructure to support development.
Commenting on DSD’s involvement, Chris McDonald, the UK Government Minister for Industry, said:
Aviation needs to be sustainable on both land and air to reach Jet Zero, and that’s why this government is backing this innovative project by DSD to electrify aircraft ground operations. The UK’s world class aerospace sector has a key role to play in this race, and that’s why we’re doubling down on support for the sector through our Modern Industrial Strategy, delivering innovation and good jobs.
IATA named climate change-related disruption as one of the aviation industry’s top risks for 2026. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events will make running flights more difficult and less predictable, making improved sustainability an operational necessity. If successful, projects such as SONATA could go some way to mitigating these risks while reducing aviation’s overall environmental impact.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026, where we’ll be hosting key partners from the UK aerospace industry to discuss key sustainability questions.
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by Elsie Clark | Feb 16, 2026 | Innovation, Sustainability
London Heathrow Airport has set the ambitious target of exceeding the UK government’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) target by 2% in 2026. This year, regulations stipulate that 3.6% of all aviation fuel used in the UK should be sustainable. However, Heathrow is going further with a 5.6% target, backed by an £80 million fund.
Matt Gorman, Heathrow’s Director of Sustainability, said:
Sustainable Aviation Fuel is not a hypothetical concept for the future, it’s already producing real impact in 2026. Heathrow is leading the way globally, with 17% of the world’s SAF supply in 2024 used at the airport. SAF is a key lever on aviation’s journey to net zero by 2050, and a key element of Heathrow’s Net Zero Plan. Our incentive delivers real progress today, as well as a future promise for tomorrow.
The initiative forms part of Heathrow’s wider sustainability plans, which will also see it exceed UK government mandates. By 2030, 10% of fuel used in the country must be SAF, but Heathrow plans to scale their targets to achieve 11% SAF use that same year. The £80 million will help make SAF more competitive with traditional kerosene fuels while reducing the cost impact on airlines — a common criticism of existing SAF mandates.
Overall, the plans will see 350,000 tonnes of SAF used at Heathrow in 2026. This results in a carbon saving of approximately 600,000 tonnes, the equivalent of 950,000 economy passengers flying a round-trip between Heathrow and JFK.
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by Elsie Clark | Jan 20, 2026 | Innovation
The UK government is launching a new fund worth up to £43 million (US$58 million) for financing green aviation projects.
Hydrogen propulsion and limiting contrails are two key areas of interest in the competitions, which will run in February. The funding comes from Innovate UK and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Avoiding contrails is of special interest as the aviation industry attempts to balance decarbonisation with growth. Most emissions produced by contrails are avoidable, and the programme is especially keen to track airlines based in Africa and the Caribbean. Lacking the technology to report emissions accurately, these regions are not saddled with the same green aviation costs as competitors in the UK. The new competitions will help create a more equal environment for all while consolidating a path to net-zero.
Hydrogen fuel has the potential to revolutionise aviation as it only produces water while combusting. However, the technology remains in its infancy and the industry currently considers sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as more reliable. Nevertheless, integrating the hydrogen economy could have a considerable impact on certain operations if scaled correctly. The CAA said they would use the investment as an opportunity to develop regulations for commercial hydrogen aviation.
This latest round of competitions are running alongside the UK’s existing commercial aviation research and development (R&D) strategy, which has committed £2.3 billion in funding over the next ten years. Additionally, a bill guaranteeing a set price on SAF for UK consumers is set to be introduced by the government later this year.
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by Elsie Clark | Jan 12, 2026 | AI & ML, Innovation, Sustainability
Industry body IATA has named the five risks that most threaten the aviation industry in 2026. With profit margins expected to remain tight at 3.9%, good decision planning and situational awareness will be critical in determining which airlines make it through the year unscathed.
1. Policy fragmentation
Last year saw the aviation industry thrown into chaos by tariffs, and Marie Owens Thomsen, Senior Vice President, Sustainability & Chief Economist, at IATA, reckons trade disruption will continue in the year ahead. However, this time policy fragmentation around the globe will have more impact.
From protectionism to divergence on sustainability and taxation, nations are more inclined than ever to sidestep industry bodies. Owens Thomsen notes:
Such policies raise little money for governments, have little or no impact on emissions, and make air transport more expensive.
2. Supply chain disruptions
This has been an ongoing theme for years now, but unfortunately pressure on supply chains remains high. IATA does not expect delays on aircraft orders to abate until the 2030s, and also highlights that this negatively impacts the pace on sustainable development.
3. Climate change-related disruptions
Rising temperatures are resulting in more extreme weather events. From violent snowstorms to heatwaves, the impact on all industries’ trade and infrastructure cannot be understated. In the years ahead, increased migration from ‘climate refugees’ will place further strain on air transport and immigration authorities.
4. Cyber threats and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Airlines and airports are increasingly turning to technology to improve efficiency and manage greater passenger numbers. Yet the deployment of third-party tech providers also multiplies the frontiers for cyberattack. As a critical industry that hosts a wealth of sensitive data, the aviation world is especially vulnerable.
As for AI, the benefits could take years to realise, and the software is not infallible. Misinformation and loss of privacy could all damage relationships with passengers.
5. Macro-economic outlook
The weakening of the US dollar will have a significant impact on aviation, where over half of its cost base is invoiced in USD. While lower oil prices will benefit airlines, the world economy in general is not inclined to growth, threatening the aviation industry’s already narrow margins.
Nevertheless, IATA see reasons to be optimistic, with 4% of global GDP still linked to air travel. Additionally, they emphasise that a move towards sustainable aviation could generate far greater change than any economic policy.
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by Elsie Clark | Jan 8, 2026 | Innovation, Sustainability, Video
Boasting more than 600 aircraft that fly to over 250 destinations, the International Airlines Group (IAG) manages some of Europe’s best-known airlines, including British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling. But how can the group manage an effective sustainability strategy across these unique brands?
In an exclusive interview at World Aviation Festival 2025, Jonathon Counsell, Group Director of Sustainability at IAG shared his insight on setting the direction. While aviation’s overall enthusiasm for ESG might have waned from its peak in the mid-2010s, IAG remain committed to their 2050 net-zero emissions target.
We recognise that this is a long-term challenge for us. We have to address our carbon emissions, and we have as an industry a clear roadmap to do that. Fundamentally, climate change is driven by the science, not just politics. So it’s something we have to do.
IAG is currently on track to achieve its 10% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) target by 2030. US$3.5 billion has been invested so far through partnerships with cutting edge companies such as Infinium, a low-carbon eFuels developer. Counsell sees ‘real value’ in bringing the five member airlines together to share progress and success stories.
It’s quite a close group. We meet every month, and every quarter we have a two-day workshop where we all get together. It’s fantastic to see the sharing of best practice among all the different participants.
IAG’s other investments include ZeroAvia, developers of hydrogen-propelled aircraft. However, Counsell believes in the short term SAF production needs to accelerate to reduce the impact of this hard-to-decarbonise industry, especially while demand continues to outstrip supply.
I truly believe there is a first-mover advantage when it comes to decarbonisation. Our view is that some of the advanced fuels in the second and third generations will be in short supply post-2030. So we think it’s really important that companies get into the market early to secure the regular supply of these SAFs.
🎥 Watch the interview to hear the full conversation on sustainability with Jonathon Counsell.
Questions asked include:
- Do you think that geopolitical change has slowed momentum on sustainability in aviation?
- IAG has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050. What progress have you made on that goal so far? What are the Group’s biggest success stories?
- As an airline group, you have to oversee the sustainability targets of five separate airlines. Is it a challenge bringing all these parties together, or do you see it as an opportunity for greater collaboration?
Jonathon Counsell will be speaking at Aerospace Tech Week 2026. Join us.
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