In Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions this afternoon, Huw asked the Minister what steps the Government intends to take to support the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and help bring their costs down.
Produced from sustainable feedstocks, such as oils from plants, SAF result in a reduction in carbon emissions compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces. They are, however, currently around three to four times more expensive than traditional fuel. SAF have the potential to play a crucial role in achieving Net Zero.
FULL TEXT OF QUESTION
Huw Merriman
What steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for Transport to help support the aviation sector to decarbonise.
Lee Rowley, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
The Jet Zero Council, which is jointly chaired by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Business and for Transport, brings together industry leaders and the Government to discuss how best to reduce the impact of aviation on our environment. The recently published net zero strategy provides the framework, and the commitment made in the Budget to extend funding for the Aerospace Technology Institute to 2031 demonstrates the importance that the Government attach to making progress on this issue.
Huw Merriman
The issue with sustainable aviation fuel is not how to produce it—we can do that—but how to bring the price down so that there is a return on capital and an investment case for it, as there is for renewables. What more can the Government do to support sustainable aviation fuels, and does the Minister agree that we need a global approach to the solution?
Lee Rowley
My Hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the challenges of bringing the cost down, as is the case in so many areas of the net zero strategy, but progress is being made. We are keen to support the development of new technology solutions. He will know that we have set out an ambition for 10% of the UK’s aviation fuel to be SAF by 2030. We recognise the challenge of the cost, but I know that my hon. Friend, in his capacity as Chair of the Transport Committee, has announced an inquiry into the matter; I look forward to working with him and understanding the conclusions and proposals that he puts forward.
