In 2024, however, Dale Vince’s Ecojet aircraft will operate on kerosene-based fuel to facilitate a swift project launch.

To demonstrate that polluting industries can decarbonise, the green energy tycoon Dale Vince plans to establish the first electric airline in Britain.

Ecojet, billed as the “flag carrier for green Britain,” will commence with a 19-seater aircraft flying between Edinburgh and Southampton at the beginning of the following year.

The aircraft will operate on kerosene for the first year before being retrofitted with engines that convert green hydrogen into electricity.

Vince founded the first green energy company in the UK, Ecotricity, in 1995 and has spent his career launching low-carbon and ethically-minded enterprises in the energy, transport, food, and football industries. 

He is the chairman of Forest Green Rovers, the “greenest football club in the world” of League Two.

Vince stated, “We want to demonstrate that one of the last frontiers [of decarbonisation] is manageable.” “Many appear to believe that eco-conscious individuals want everyone to live a life of self-denial in a cave. Green living is not about deprivation; everything we enjoy in this life is possible in a net-zero lifestyle.”

The airline will launch several 19-seat, 300-mile-range aircraft with green stripes. Vince hopes to increase the number of routes to serve all of the major cities in the UK.

The employees will don eco-friendly uniforms and serve plant-based meals.

In the second segment, 18 months later, planes with 70 seats that can fly to Europe will be introduced. The company is securing airport departure and landing slots and applying for a licence.

However, launching a new airline is time-consuming, so Ecojet will not launch as an electric aircraft operator but instead use kerosene-based fuel.

Vince acknowledged that he was not entirely pleased with the decision to launch the project by burning fossil fuels but stated that the airline needed to launch swiftly to secure planes and landing slots and “maintain the project’s momentum.”

“It may seem contradictory, but the core of this endeavour is upcycling and retrofitting existing aircraft. This is a pragmatic approach so that we will save time. We will construct the infrastructure, launch the aircraft, and replace the engines when available.”

The aviation industry is evaluating several carbon-reduction strategies, including electric flight and sustainable aviation fuel, biodiesel, that can be produced from agricultural products. 

Vince referred to SAF as “hogwash.” 

He stated, “There is insufficient land to cultivate the necessary crops.” Several entrepreneurs and aviation companies, including the British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and an Australian charter company, have been developing electric flights. 

Vince stated that while there was “a lot of hype and bluster about the hydrogen economy, primarily from fossil fuel companies,” it was well adapted for flight because it was “super light”, and the significant energy required for its production was justified to enable environmentally friendly aviation.

Vince stated that Ecojet would “price match” existing airlines’ airfares to recruit non-environmentally conscious customers. He stated that he would initially invest £1 million but intends to raise additional funds in the following year. Vince does not fly to safeguard the environment but plans to once his airline is operational. In recent months, Labour has come under fire for accepting £1.5 million from Vince over a decade.