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PODCAST

Sustainability In The Air

Aviation has many paths to net zero, and few are straightforward. Sustainability in the Air cuts through the noise with clear, expert-led conversations on what’s actually advancing a more sustainable future for flight in one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise.💚 Twice a month, SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam speaks with airline, airport, travel, and energy leaders to unpack the decisions shaping aviation’s climate future.💚 Each month, our Head of Sustainability Dirk Singer adds a Signal episode

leisure aviation

All Episodes

45:46

Why Earth Venture Capital thinks energy security will...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/10/01

In this episode, we speak with Tien Nguyen, founding partner of Vietnam-based Earth Venture Capital, who explains why the venture capital firm is betting on science-led deep tech, from advanced nuclear to hydrogen, and what that approach tells us about financing the next generation of aviation technology.Nguyen discussesEarth VC’s mission to make the physical economy more efficient through science-led deep tech How Earth VC distinguishes a measurable scientific breakthrough from an incremental

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50:03

Why Gevo believes low-carbon ethanol and carbon...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/09/17

In this episode, we speak with Paul Bloom, CEO of Gevo, who shares how low-carbon fuels, carbon capture, and technology are coming together to accelerate aviation’s path to net zero.He discusses:Why Gevo stepped away from the DOE loan guarantee: The DOE loan guarantee was always one of several potential financing options for Gevo. When enhanced oil recovery (EOR) for Gevo’s CO2 co-product became a requirement, the lack of oil and gas infrastructure in North Dakota made it difficult to secure a

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27:22

Why GE Aerospace believes a sustainable future will...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/09/03

In this episode, recorded at the Farnborough Airshow 2026, we speak with Christoph Pereira, CEO of Software as a Service (SaaS), Aerospace Carbon Solutions and Sustainability at GE Aerospace, about how one of the world’s largest engine maker is using software, data and hybrid electric propulsion to decarbonise aviation.He discusses:Why GE Aerospace runs a software business alongside its engine franchise, and how software focused on safety, efficiency and resilience can leverage more capacity from

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46:52

Why the GREATER MSP Partnership sees regional...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/08/20

In this episode, we speak with Julia Silvis, Managing Director of Research and Intelligence at the GREATER MSP Partnership, the economic development partnership for the Minneapolis Saint Paul (MSP) region region that built and leads the Minnesota sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) Hub, a first-of-its-kind coalition working across the entire SAF value chain from feedstock to the airport fuel supply.She discusses:Working supply and demand together: How the Minnesota SAF Hub’s defining feature is that it

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63:24

Why Norway is building an ecosystem for electric...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/08/06

In this episode, we speak with Jan Petter Steinland, Director of Strategic Analysis and Transformation at the Civil Aviation Authority Norway, about how the administrative body is building an ecosystem for electric and hybrid aviation.Steinland discusses:Why a regulator is leading, not an airline: How CAA Norway and Avinor built the test arena without a launch customer, arguing that backing one airline would narrow the field before anyone knows which technologies will succeed.Learnings from 126

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33:53

The innovators reshaping aviation: Surprising...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/07/23

In this special compilation episode, recorded live at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, nine aviation leaders share their perspectives on what the future of flying will actually look like, and who is building it.Featuring insights from:Kyle Clark, Founder & CEO, BETA TechnologiesTom O’Leary, CEO & Co-founder, JetZeroDaniel Rosen Jacobson, Co-CEO & Co-founder, Elysian AircraftMarc Allen, CEO, Electra.aeroAllison Melia, VP - Sustainability, BoeingLuke Farajallah, CEO,

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49:36

Why Lufthansa sees transparency as key to its net...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/07/09

In this episode, we speak with Claudia Huegel, Senior Director, Head of ESG Rating and Reporting, Lufthansa Group, who shares how one of the world’s oldest and largest airline groups threads sustainability through its strategy, its reporting, and, increasingly, its relationship with the passenger.She discusses:The near-term levers to decarbonising by 2030: Why fleet renewal does the heaviest lifting this decade, delivering 15-25% efficiency gains per aircraft.The green fares story: How Lufthansa

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42:29

Why DHL believes getting ahead on SAF is a...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/06/25

In this episode, we speak with Robert Hyslop, Executive Vice President of Global Aviation at DHL Express, who oversees one of the world’s largest dedicated air cargo networks and has helped turn the company into one of the biggest corporate buyers of sustainable aviation fuel.He discusses:Tripling SAF usage in a single year: How DHL moved from 3.5% to 10% SAF use within a year by securing reliable suppliers early and signing offtake agreements globally, purchasing allotments well ahead of when the

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44:15

Why the Global South should produce SAF, not just...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/06/11

In this episode, we speak with Elvis Ebikade, Director of Strategic Market Development at Bioleum Corporation, about why the Global South should be producing SAF rather than just exporting raw feedstocks, how renewable fuels are becoming an energy security play, the technical challenge of getting aromatics into SAF, and what actually separates a bankable SAF project from a good-looking spreadsheet.Ebikade discusses:The case for Africa and Southeast Asia as SAF producers, not just feedstock

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69:01

Why Aether Fuels believes feedstock flexibility is...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/05/28

In this episode, we speak with Conor Madigan, founder and CEO of Aether Fuels, a climate technology company converting abundant waste carbon into low-cost sustainable fuels for aviation and ocean shipping. Madigan is one of the few founders approaching the SAF cost problem from an engineering-first, problem-first standpoint.He discusses:A problem-first approach to company building: Why Madigan began with a blank sheet of paper in 2020, fixed on the problem before choosing a technology, and only then

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51:46

Why Abra Group believes Latin America must build its...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/05/14

In this episode, we speak with Maria del Mar Whittaker, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at Abra Group, the holding company behind airlines like Avianca and Gol. Whittaker discusses:Aviation as an essential service: Why flying in Latin America is an essential service because the geography of the continent makes road and rail alternatives impractical for several routes.Balancing growth and sustainability: How Avianca grew by nearly 20% between 2019 and 2024 while cutting its emissions intensity

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61:09

How easyJet is closing the gap between a net zero...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/04/30

In this episode, we speak with Lahiru Ranasinghe, Director of Sustainability at easyJet, who shares what it takes to move a major low-cost carrier from a sustainability blueprint to real-world results.He discusses:From strategy to execution: How easyJet’s net zero roadmap has evolved from a planning document into an operational programme — and why the shift from building a strategy to delivering it changes everything about how sustainability operates within the business.Fleet renewal and the gauge

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54:15

Why Montana Renewables believes retrofitting...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/04/16

In this episode, we speak with Bruce Fleming, CEO of Montana Renewables, the leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel in the United States. Rather than building a new SAF facility from the ground up, Montana Renewables converted a portion of an existing crude oil refinery in Great Falls, Montana to process feedstocks including used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and emerging crops into SAF, renewable diesel, and renewable hydrogen.Fleming discusses:The retrofit model: Why converting an

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45:22

Why EASA believes its Flight Emissions Label is key...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/04/02

In this episode, we speak with Martina Di Palma and Achilleas Achilleos, Sustainable Aviation Officer and Strategic Programs Officer respectively at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). They discuss:Why existing CO2 calculators fall short: How today’s flight emissions tools rely on estimates rather than actual fuel burn data.The regulatory foundation: How the Flight Emissions Label (FEL) sits within Article 14 of the RefuelEU Aviation regulation, and why EASA is confident the scheme is

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37:54

How HIF Global’s synthetic fuels and waste-based...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/03/26

In this episode, Dirk Singer speaks with Meg Gentle, Executive Director at HIF Global, about how synthetic fuels and waste-based pathways could reshape the economics of sustainable aviation fuel.Gentle discusses:Why Chile’s exceptional wind resources made it the starting point for HIF’s first e-fuels facility, and how that model is now being replicated globallyHow e-fuels are produced by combining green hydrogen with captured CO2 to create transportable liquid fuels like methanol and jet fuelWhy HIF

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45:55

How Ryanair is balancing low-cost operations with...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/03/19

In this episode, we speak with Steven Fitzgerald, Director of Sustainability and Finance at Ryanair, who shares how Europe's largest low-cost carrier is navigating the tension between aggressive growth targets and decarbonisation commitments.Fitzgerald discusses:Ryanair's early SAF commitment before mandates existed: Why the airline set a 12.5% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) target for 2030 five years ago, and how they've now secured access to 80% of that volume.The true cost of ETS

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54:45

How BETA Technologies is building the future of...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/03/05

In this episode, we speak with Kyle Clark, Founder and CEO of BETA Technologies, who shares how his company went from a college thesis to a publicly traded electric aviation manufacturer delivering real aircraft and generating revenue from military, medical and cargo customers.Clark discusses:The advantage of electric flight: How batteries deliver propulsion at 95% efficiency versus 30% for conventional engines, and how reducing the drag by 30-40% helps electric aircraft achieve meaningful range

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41:29

How Synhelion is turning renewable energy into...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/02/18

In this episode, we speak with Philipp Furler, Founder and CEO of Synhelion, who shares how the Swiss technology company is working to scale synthetic fuels by tackling some of the fundamental cost and infrastructure barriers facing SAF today.Furler discusses:The path to $1/litre production costs: How Synhelion targets production costs of around $1 per litre within 10-15 years through three key advantages: cheap solar energy with thermal storage enabling 24/7 operation, avoiding electrolysis and

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43:49

How Copenhagen Airports is navigating the complexity...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/02/05

In this episode, we speak with Sabrina Tekle Krarup Jensen, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation at Copenhagen Airports A/S (CPH), who shares how the airport is navigating some of aviation’s most complex sustainability challenges.Jensen discusses:CPH’s unique role as neutral facilitator: How the airport leverages its position outside the commercial fuel supply chain to support multiple SAF projects, and connect stakeholders across the entire aviation value chain.The eSAF financing gap

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43:07

Why Firefly Green Fuels believes waste could...

Sustainability In The Air ·

2026/01/29

In this episode, Dirk Singer speaks with James Hygate, Founder and CEO of Firefly Green Fuels, about one of the more unconventional and potentially scalable sustainable aviation fuel pathways: converting sewage biosolids into jet fuel.Hygate discusses: Why Firefly is “feedstock-led”, and why that matters more than the technologyHow sewage biosolids emerged as the preferred feedstock for Firefly due to their abundance, consistency, and increasing difficulty of disposal.How hydrothermal liquefaction

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179 results

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