Studies fuel investigation into sustainable air travel

One person’s trash could be another person’s jet fuel, as government invests $765,000 in 2 studies to determine the feasibility of producing sustainable aviation fuel in New Zealand.

The studies, co-funded with Air New Zealand, will investigate the technical, environmental, supply chain and economic factors involved in establishing and operating a sustainable aviation fuel production facility in New Zealand to determine its viability.

Pre-feasibility studies completed in 2022 showed a case to consider producing fuel from forestry residues and some of the waste that would otherwise go into landfill.

Now Fulcrum BioEnergy, in partnership with Air BP, will investigate the use of non-recyclable and difficult to treat or recover materials as a feedstock for producing sustainable aviation fuel. LanzaTech and LanzaJet, in partnership with Z Energy, will investigate the use of forestry residues as feedstock with a case study to consider landfill waste as a supplementary feedstock.

The announcement of these studies coincides with the launch of consultation on the draft Tourism Environment Action Plan. Decarbonisation is a major focus of this plan as aviation contributes up to 60% of tourism’s total emissions.

Sustainable aviation fuel currently represents the only available option for decarbonising long-haul air travel and investment in low-carbon technologies is a key action in the draft plan.

As well as moving the country closer to its net zero target, a domestic sustainable aviation fuel industry could build tourism and aviation sector resilience and contribute to job creation. The feasibility studies also create an opportunity to test new technologies with broader impacts for the economy and environment.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Air New Zealand, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport, Te Taurapa Tūhono New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and the Ministry for the Environment have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in delivery of the studies.

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