Written question WQ95963
- Asked by
- Mark IsherwoodConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 12 days
Question
What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that Wales benefits from a sustainable aviation fuel industry?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I am supportive of the UK Government’s aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation sector.
However, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Bill is a reserved matter for the UK Government.
Whilst this is a global issue and the UK approach is a reserved matter for the UK Government, we are considering how Wales can best support the development and adoption of more sustainable aviation technologies. I recently met with Rise Coalition to discuss the opportunities and role SAF can bring to Wales, and my officials are engaged with members of the aerospace industry on this important matter including Airbus and GE Aerospace.
Officials are in contact with Valero in Milford Haven to develop SAF and Cardiff University’s Centre for Aerospace Propulsion is currently developing an operational Jetstream 31 aircraft for testing new types of hybrid electric propulsion systems for regional aircraft; and with LanzaTech UK in Port Talbot which aims to produce more than 100m litres of SAF per year using ethanol from biogenic waste and industry flue gases by 2026.