Virgin and LanzaTech taking major steps towards sustainable aviation

Biofuel developer LanzaTech has announced it is 'the first' to have its jet biofuel certified by the independent Roundtable on Sustainable Biomass (RSB).

The company's new biofuel plant near Beijing, according to airline partner Virgin Atlantic, has secured the certification by confirming the fuel does not negatively impact the food chain or contribute to deforestation.

LanzaTech and plant partner Beijing Shougang LanzaTech New Energy Science and Technology have an approach for turning carbon-rich waste gases from steel-making and other industrial plants into biofuels and chemicals. Virgin believes the fuel has the potential to cut emissions by 60% compared to conventional aviation fuels, while fitting the technology to all steel plants globally could produce enough biofuel to meet 19% of global demand.

While a number of airlines have successfully completed flights using a variety of biofuels, attempts to scale up production to a commercial-scale have been held back by difficulties in securing enough organic material to produce large quantities of fuel.

'We trust this certification will help accelerate the acceptance of biofuels made through carbon capture technologies and serve to showcase the possibilities opened up by thinking of carbon emissions as an opportunity, not just a problem,' says Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech.