Flying towards Net Zero

Air May 11, 2023

The RAF has set itself on an ambitious path to achieve net-zero by 2040, ten years before of the rest of Defence.

However, with no viable carbon-free fuel currently available, this challenge is no mean-feat, the RAF is the highest polluter of all the armed services due to aviation fuel and so, must seek carbon savings elsewhere.

While the aviation aspect will have to wait for the commercial aviation industry to achieve a technological breakthrough, in the meantime the RAF estate offers the most potential for immediate change, accounting for 25% of CO2 emissions.

The RAF’s Astra programme has launched a ten-year plan to improve accommodation and facilities, while Project ViTAL has a sustainability focus, establishing RAF Leeming as a ‘living laboratory’ to achieve a net-zero airbase by 2025.

Significant financial savings and increased energy resilience have already been realised through a number of energy saving projects at the base.

Works include a cutting-edge solar technology, carbon sequestration, insulation of infrastructure, and the investigation of geothermal, hydrogen and electric as potential energy sources.

At the end of April, military leaders, academics and industry joined forces with personnel and pupils from RAF Leeming to see first-hand how the base is playing a leading role in delivering a blueprint for a greener future.

Attendees were able to interact with solar, wind, kinetic energy, and model-sized hydrogen cars at the RAF eXperimental (RAFX) hub based at RAF Leeming.

The ViTAL Living Lab, is an exciting collaboration with Newcastle University, in which experiments targeted at sustainability, building resilience, and reducing carbon emissions can be conducted in a real-time, real-life environment.

Air Vice Marshal Paul Lloyd, the RAF lead on Climate Change and Sustainability, heralded the pioneering work being undertaken at RAF Leeming. He said: “It is a trailblazer for the RAF and the MOD who are absolutely committed to sustainability and achieving Net Zero.

“I was here a year ago and it’s fantastic to see how the event has grown, I’m really excited to see how the different projects have developed, there is a lot here that we can learn from and get involved in.”

If you would like to join our community and read more articles like this then please click here.

climate change net-zero RAF RAF Leeming sustainability ViTAL Living Lab