Central European budget carrier Wizz Air has placed sustainable aviation fuel at the centre of a decarbonisation strategy, as it expresses concern that efforts to achieve net-zero emissions are derailing.
The airline says its net-zero roadmap “offers a realistic path”, by concentrating on sustainable fuel, aircraft technology, and air traffic management modernisation.
Sustainable aviation fuel will account for 53% of the company’s decarbonisation, it states, while a further 21% will be sourced from advancements in aircraft and engine technology.
Another 7% will be driven by fleet renewal.
But Wizz Air corporate and ESG officer Yvonne Moynihan warns that the “current pace of change is not enough”.
The airline says industry efforts to meet net-zero by 2050 are sliding “off course”, arguing that achieving the target depends heavily on technological industrialisation which is yet to emerge.
Wizz’s roadmap puts “greater emphasis” on sustainable aviation fuel – rather than “unproven technologies and offsetting” – compared with other airlines, it says.
Such fuel is the “cornerstone” of its strategy and the “biggest lever” for decarbonisation, it adds, but production remains limited and prices are uncompetitive for a budget carrier.
“We need action, not just ambition,” says Moynihan. “That’s why we’re calling on governments, regulators, and the fuel industry to wake up to the reality of aviation’s transition and start delivering the changes that will make net-zero possible.”
The airline is pressing governments to scale production of sustainable fuel and introduce incentives to reduce the price gap with conventional fuel.
Wizz adds that a commitment to address the situation is “not just an environmental imperative” but a “strategic necessity” for the European aviation sector if it is to achieve long-term sustainability, competitiveness and resilience.
Alongside the decarbonisation attributable to fuel, engines and technology, the airline is looking for a further 4% from air traffic control reform, 2% through operational efficiencies, and 13% from carbon removals.
