easyJet has signed a contract with Airbus for its carbon removal initiative, making the low-fare carrier the first airline to sign up. Under the agreement, Airbus will use its Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) to offer airlines worldwide carbon removal credits.
Through DACCS technology, CO2 emissions are filtered and removed from the air with high-powered extraction fans before being permanently stored in underground reservoirs. As DACCS cannot prevent CO2 emissions from flight from occurring, the technology acts as complementary to the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to minimise emissions.
“Decarbonising a hard-to-abate sector, such as aviation, is a huge challenge, and we believe carbon removal will play an important role in addressing our residual emissions in the future, complementing other components to help us achieve our pathway to net zero,” said Thomas Haagensen, Group Markets Director, easyJet. “Our ultimate aim is to achieve zero carbon emission flying and – as well as investing into important projects like direct air carbon capture technology – we are working with multiple partners, including Airbus, to accelerate the development of zero carbon emission aircraft technology.”
Airbus’s carbon removal credits will be issued by its partner, 1PointFive, from the pre-purchased 400,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits set to be delivered over four years. Under easyJet’s contract with Airbus, the airline’s carbon removal credits are set to last from 2026 to 2029.
“easyJet is a strong advocate of decarbonisation for its operations and the wider aviation sector,” said Julie Kitcher, Executive Vice President of Communications, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs at Airbus. “This agreement demonstrates the airline’s willingness to extend its environmental commitment through Airbus’s Carbon Capture Offer. Initiatives such as this one underline Airbus’s commitment to decarbonisation solutions for our industry, bringing together airlines and industry players from all sectors in order to build a sustainable aviation ecosystem.”
Image: Airbus
