Qantas and Airbus invest $15m in decarbonation fund

Qantas and Airbus have pledged to invest $15 million in a climate-focused venture capital fund. In a joint statement, the two businesses said Climate Tech Partners (CTP) would work with corporate backers to develop solutions targeted at specific industry needs. The money will form a new vehicle alongside CTP’s main fund and will prioritise the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), feedstock development, and other related technologies. The partnership marks the latest step in Qantas and Airbus’ wider US$200m joint initiative launched in 2022, aimed at fast-tracking SAF production. The companies said their support for early-stage innovation is intended to address the current gap between promising climate technologies and large-scale commercial rollout in Australia. Fiona Messent, the Qantas Group’s chief sustainability officer, said SAF remains the airline’s most viable near-term decarbonisation option. “As well as funding, this partnership will help provide a vote of confidence in new technologies so they can be developed, scaled and integrated in the SAF supply chain,” she said. “For Australia, an onshore SAF industry will mean improved national fuel security, more jobs and economic benefit.”<br/>