For the past few months, we’ve been busy working away behind the scenes on a new project, called the Skies and Seas Hydrogen-fuels Accelerator Coalition – or SASHA for short. We’ve got big ambitions that it will play a key role in achieving a just transition to a net zero future in the aviation and shipping sectors.

The idea for the SASHA Coalition came about because we knew how important the role of green hydrogen and carbon dioxide from direct air capture (DAC) will be in the decarbonisation of aviation and shipping.

If these sectors are going to transition to a global net zero economy by 2050, the limited supplies of green hydrogen and DAC must be targeted towards the industries where they provide the fastest, most efficient route to decarbonisation.

Unifying the aviation and shipping sectors

Individual airlines and shipping companies are calling for green hydrogen in their sectors, but their voices are not loud enough on their own. These industries need to form one powerful, unified voice on this issue so they have greater influence over policy.

We could see that these sectors needed a louder voice to get this message heard – which is where the SASHA Coalition comes in.

We’ll be bringing together leaders from across aviation and shipping to help them amplify the message that green hydrogen and DAC will be integral to their decarbonisation pathways.

The vital role of green hydrogen and DAC

For both aviation and shipping, green hydrogen and carbon dioxide derived from DAC will be needed to produce the sustainable fuels of the future. In place of the fossil-based fuels currently being used, shipping and aviation could pursue a wide range of low-emission alternatives – from e-kerosene to methanol and ammonia.

While it is likely that a range of fuels will make up the future fuel mix, one thing that these pathways have in common is the need for green hydrogen – and, for some, DAC – to produce them.

That is why a secure supply of green hydrogen and carbon dioxide from DAC is so important in the transition to sustainable fuels in these sectors.

Access to both, however, is at risk if policies and regulations do not provide clear direction on which sectors of the economy are most in need of these resources – including both aviation and shipping – rather than the current economy-wide approach to the deployment of limited green hydrogen and DAC.

Prioritising sectors that need these fuels most

Sustainable fuels will be central to decarbonising shipping and aviation, and research shows that significant quantities of green hydrogen and carbon dioxide from DAC will be required to produce them. But because green hydrogen is in limited supply and DAC resources are underdeveloped, there is intense competition for these fuels.

As a result, they’re being referenced in policies for use in a wide range of sectors, such as the UK Government's Net Zero Strategy. However, regulations that encourage the use of these fuels in sectors that don’t require it will only cause a delay in tackling the climate crisis.

We want the SASHA Coalition to address this gap in policy coherence and put the case forward to policymakers that the use of green hydrogen and DAC should be prioritised in the sectors where it is needed most, including shipping and aviation.

The SASHA Coalition will help to facilitate policy discussions and provide members with the knowledge, tools, assets and materials they need to make an impact.

Achieving a just transition to a net zero future in the aviation and shipping sectors is an ambitious goal. But with the right policy framework, resources, and collaboration between industry and decision makers, we believe it’s possible.

Join our event

We’ll be kicking off the coalition at the first SASHA Coalition webinar later this month.

The online event will explore what role green hydrogen and direct air capture will play in delivering various decarbonisation pathways for shipping and aviation. It will also look at the current EU and UK policy landscape supporting these transitions.

The webinar is on 24 May feature a keynote address from Lord Deben, Chair of the UK Climate Change Committee and panel discussions featuring leading researchers and industry voices.

If you work in shipping, aviation or sustainable fuels, we’d love you to join us. Find out more about the event and how to register here.