The firm, based at Sydney’s Bankstown Airport, says Vertiia will be able to fly up to 1,000km with its 100kW hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. AMSL Aero has used more than 200kg of hydrogen in its functional test bed since it began trials in mid-2024.
Speaking at a media event in Sydney, Julie Kitcher, chief sustainability officer at Airbus, said a “basket of measures” is needed to promote more use of SAF, including a mandate that can be “phased in slowly and then uplifted”.
The agreement, to last from March to July 2025, will see Virgin use a blend of A1 jet fuel and 30-40 per cent synthetic SAF made from waste and residue feedstocks, which the airline says is fully compatible with existing aircraft, fuelling infrastructure, and regulatory and safety requirements.
Parker, who served as Qantas’ chief sustainability officer for three years before his departure in 2024, previously worked as a senior vice president at Emirates covering areas such as international affairs and environment.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will provide $8 million to technology developer Licella to assess the viability of a biorefinery at a Bundaberg sugar mill, while Viva Energy has been awarded $2.4 million to demonstrate SAF use and storage at Brisbane Airport.
Aviation Logistics has partnered with Viva Energy to use the fuel, a blend of 91 per cent Jet A-1 and nine per cent synthetic blending component made from waste and residue feedstocks, in its Air Link and AirMed charter and aeromedical jet fleet.