VoltAero Hybrid-Electric Aircraft Makes Landmark Flight Fueled by Wine Waste

The company flew its proprietary hybrid-electric powertrain on a demonstrator powered by biofuel produced from vineyard waste.

Jack Daleo

Friday, September 22, 2023 at 02:43 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

VoltAero successfully completed the first-ever flight of a hybrid-electric aircraft powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from French vineyard waste, in partnership with TotalEnergies Aviation.
This innovative vineyard waste-derived SAF can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 65 percent over its entire lifecycle, with the aircraft achieving an approximate 80 percent CO2 reduction in electric-hybrid mode.
VoltAero is developing a family of Cassio hybrid-electric aircraft (330, 480, 600) designed for diverse applications, aiming to validate its powertrain with SAF to accelerate aviation's decarbonization goals.

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According to researchers at the University of California-Davis Department of Food Science and Technology, the equivalent of 3 in 10 grapes initially collected for winemaking end up going to waste. Most aviation companies would see that statistic and think nothing of it.

Royan, France-based VoltAero isn’t most aviation companies. The firm on Thursday announced it completed what it claims is an industry first. This week, it flew a hybrid-electric aircraft powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from partner TotalEnergies Aviation—fuel derived from bioethanol produced from the waste created by French vineyards.