Qantas says long-haul electric flight still “several decades away”

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce insists the age of electric powered long-haul aircraft is still “several decades” from becoming a reality, as the airline focuses instead on sustainable fuels and carbon offsets to meet a new near-term climate target.

The national carrier on Friday published the Qantas Group Climate Action Plan, outlining the “specific steps” it will take on the path to zero emissions by 2050, and setting an interim target to reduce carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2030.

As part of the plan, Qantas announced targets for fuel efficiency as well as for the uptake of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which it plans to increase to 10 per cent of the Group’s fuel mix by 2030, and roughly 60 per cent by 2050.

The airline also aims to increase its fuel by an average of 1.5 per cent per year out to 2030, by updating its aircraft fleet and using more efficient flight planning, while continuing research into next generation technologies, including hydrogen and battery power.

But the airline’s chief, Joyce, doesn’t see either of those technologies coming into play for a number of decades yet – taking a considerably dimmer outlook than the Action Plan itself, which says electric and hydrogen planes are unlikely to become a commercial reality in aviation before 2030.

“We’ve had a zero net emissions goal for several years, so today’s interim targets are about accelerating our progress and cutting emissions as quickly as technology allows,” Joyce said a statement on Friday.

“Hydrogen or electric powered aircraft are several decades away, particularly for the length of most flights, so our plan is focused on the technology that is within reach today.

“We’re looking at new aircraft that burn approximately 15 to 20 per cent less fuel and we’re already using sustainable aviation fuel for our London flights that can cut emissions by up to 80 per cent,” he said.

“One benefit of setting these targets now is sending a clear signal that we’re in the market for large volumes of sustainable aviation fuel, for carbon offset projects and for products that can be recycled. That will hopefully encourage more investment and build more momentum for the industry as a whole.”

On the offset front, Qantas announced on Friday it was signing a Memorandum of Understanding with ANZ and INPEX for a major integrated reforestation and carbon farming project covering “an area the size of Belgium” in Western Australia’s wheatbelt region.

The project will replant farmland with sustainable, drought-resistant native plant species, with the goal of improving the environment while also offsetting the three companies’ carbon footprints.

Longer term, the project is also expected to create a potential source for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production from cut back mallee trees.

Qantas says SAF is produced by blending certified bio feedstock – including used cooking oil, sugar cane, forestry residues, animal tallow and other waste products – with normal jet fuel to produce up to 80% less emissions on a life-cycle basis compared with traditional jet kerosene.

The Qantas Group has committed an initial $50 million towards establishment of an Australia-based SAF industry, and is calling on all levels of government to also lend support to ensure Australia manufactures the biofuel like the UK, US and Europe already are.

On electric and hydrogen fuelled planes, the Climate Action Plan says Qantas sees “a critical need” for airlines, industry, and manufacturers to work together to introduce new technologies to ensure we can reach net zero by 2050.

“While these alternative fuel technologies are not expected to become a commercial reality in aviation before 2030, they will play an important part in the Group’s long-term sustainability strategy towards reducing our emissions and meeting our net zero commitment,” the document says.

“The Group will explore partnerships to accelerate research and development of these new flying technologies.”

Across the aviation industry, forecasts for the shift to zero emissions for long-haul flights vary greatly, with some much more ambitious than others.

An analysis from Transport & Environment (T&E), Europe’s leading clean transport campaign group, in January claimed that flights across the UK could be operated by electric and hydrogen aircraft as early as 2028.

Progress on electric flight technology and innovation varies too, but in the short-haul segment the industry is making steady progress and attracting plenty of investment.

In the US, United Airlines last September announced plans to purchase 100 electric planes from Swedish start-up Heart Aerospace that are expected to take to the skies as early as 2026.

And in late 2020, Los Angeles-based hybrid-electric aircraft developer Ampaire undertook a one-month demonstration program flying a hybrid-electric aircraft between Hawaiian island destinations – the first company to complete such a demonstration flight along an actual airline route.

In Australia, it was reported in December of 2021 that all-electric flights from Sydney to Canberra could start operating from the second half of 2022, and over the Great Barrier Reef by 2026, thanks to new deals struck by two Australian short-haul flight operators.