Commercial, Sourcing Renewables - July 21, 2023
Electric Jets to be Powered by RE
Ecotricity founder Dale Vince announced the launch of Ecojet, an electric airline to be powered by renewable energy.
The company’s fleet will comprise of conventional planes that will be retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains.
Once the conversion is completed, the aircraft will operate with the same power output as before with a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions.
By repurposing old planes, 90,000 tons of carbon per year will be eliminated. The only byproduct will be water, which can be captured and released into the lower atmosphere to avoid the harmful effects of contrails.
Vince partnered with pilot Brent Smith and a team of aviation specialists to set up Ecojet.
The first flights across the UK will start in early 2024 beginning with the Edinburgh to Southampton route and expanding to mainland Europe shortly after, with long-haul flights planned for the future.
In order to secure routes and a license from the Civil Aviation Authority, Ecojet will initially launch using conventionally fuelled planes. Ecojet will launch with two different sizes of turboprop aircraft (a 19-seat aircraft and a 70-seat aircraft). These aircraft will be retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains as they become approved for service by the CAA - the first retrofits will take place in 2025, one year after the commencement of flights.
“The question of how to create sustainable air travel has plagued the green movement for decades, Ecojet is by far the most significant step towards a solution to date,” said Dale Vince in a statement. “The desire to travel is deeply etched into the human spirit, and flights free of C02 emissions, powered by renewable energy will allow us to explore our incredible world without harming it for the first time.”
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