Virgin set for first long-haul flight with low-carbon fuel

British airline Virgin Atlantic on Tuesday operated the first transatlantic flight powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), took off from Heathrow airport for New York's JFK.

The Boeing 787 plane equipped with Rolls-Royce engines is not carrying any passengers or cargo.  SAFs are produced from renewable biomass and waste resources and can be used in jet fuel to a maximum of 50 percent, having been blended with kerosene, in modern aircraft.

 The UK government last December announced that it was providing up to £1 million in support of the project, led by Virgin in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, US aircraft manufacturer Boeing and British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce.