Airlines, energy firms and trade bodies join government's Jet Zero Council

The government has revealed the industry members and experts set to join its new Jet Zero Council, the group tasked by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson with accelerating the development of zero emission aviation in the UK.

The group, which was first announced in June, has been tasked with drawing up plans to develop and industrialise zero emission aviation and aerospace technologies and infrastructure in the UK, and to also help accelerate the delivery of sustainable aviation fuels and production plants.

The government - which has said its aim is to develop the world's first zero emission, transatlantic passenger flight - said members of the Jet Zero Council would also work to help develop a "coordinated approach" to policy and regulatory frameworks in order to help deliver that ambition.

Executives from major airlines, energy companies and engineering firms have been appointed to join representatives from trade associations, research groups and investors on the panel, which the government said would be chaired by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps and Business Secretary Alok Sharma, who is also COP26 President.

Leaders from Heathrow, Rolls Royce, Airbus, Shell, BP, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways will join sustainable full specialist Velocys and zero emission aviation specialist ZeroAvia on the Jet Zero Council, the govrenment revealed today. Trade and research organisations, including TechUK, Codec, the Aerospace Technology Institute, Faraday Institution and Cranfield University are also represented.

It comes as ZeroAvia this week completed what it said was the "world's first" successful test flight of a hydrogen fuel cell commercial plane in Bedfordshire. 

"Climate change is one of the greatest challenges faced by modern society, and we know we need to go further and faster if we're to make businesses sustainable long into the future," said Aviation Minister Robert Courts. "That's why we're bringing together government, business and investors to reduce emissions in the aviation sector - through innovative technologies, such as sustainable fuels, hybrid and eventually electric planes, we will build a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future for all."

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• Topics
• Aviation
• Technology
• Jet Zero Council
• green aviation
• ZeroAvia
• Shell
• British Airways