British businessman and environmentalist Dale Vince has announced plans to launch the UK’s first electric airline.
Ecojet services are expected to commence between Edinburgh and Southampton early next year but will initially be powered by regular kerosene-based fuel. The 19-seater aircraft will later be retrofitted with engines that convert green hydrogen into electricity.
The airline will begin operations with “several” such aircraft with a range of up to 300 miles and, 18 months later, will introduce 70-seater aircraft capable of flying further afield, according to The Guardian.
Ecojet is currently applying for a licence from the Civil Aviation Authority and procuring slots at airports.
“We want to prove that one of the last frontiers [of decarbonisation] can be broken and that it’s not insolvable,” Vince told The Guardian. “A lot of people seem to think that people who are eco-conscious want everyone to live a life of self-denial in a cave. Green living is not about giving things up – everything we like to have in this life can be done in a net zero life.”
Vince, who is the owner of green energy company Ecotricity and chair of Forest Green Rovers, a football club known for its environmentally friendly initiatives, said it was necessary to begin operations with kerosene-powered aircraft in order to generate momentum behind the project.
“It does feel like a contradiction but at the heart of this project is upcycling existing planes and retrofitting them,” said Vince. “This is the pragmatic approach, which means we won’t lose time. We will build up the infrastructure, get the planes in the air and swap in the engines when they are available.”
The businessman is eschewing sustainable aviation fuel, preferring green hydrogen power which he said was well-suited to aviation due to it being “super light”.
Vince added: “I want to prove that it can be done and it’s worthwhile. We do not think it [the airline] will be loss-making. Our priority is to be in the air with this newfound ability to fly without a carbon footprint. This will complete the [low carbon] puzzle for us – the emotional impact will be big.”