Green mogul to launch 1st electric airline in Britain

A British green energy tycoon is in the process of setting up the United Kingdom's first electric airline, Ecojet, aiming to demonstrate the potential for carbon-intensive industries to adopt sustainable practices.

Positioned as the "flag carrier for green Britain", Ecojet will begin operations next year, starting with a 19-passenger aircraft on a route between Edinburgh and Southampton.

The planes, capable of flying more than 480 kilometers, will initially rely on kerosene-based fuel before undergoing a transformation after the first year, when the aircraft will be retrofitted with engines that convert green hydrogen into electricity, The Guardian reported.

Entrepreneur Dale Vince, founder of the UK's first green energy company Ecotricity, said he hopes to expand the number of Ecojet routes to cover all of the country's big cities.

The company said that in the second phase, 18 months later, 70-seater aircraft capable of flying to Europe would be introduced, with long-haul flights planned for the future.

"We want to prove that one of the last frontiers (of decarbonization) can be broken and that it's not unsolvable," Vince told The Guardian.

"A lot of people seem to think that people who are eco-conscious want everyone to live a life of self-denial in a cave. Green living is not about giving things up — everything we like to have in this life can be done in a netzero life."

Staff members on the airline will wear environmentally friendly uniforms and serve plant-based meals.

Flight prices have not been confirmed, but Vince told the Daily Mail that Ecojet would "price match" with existing airfares. He said he has initially invested $1.3 million into the company and plans to gather additional funding.

Launching an airline is a lengthy process, and the carrier is currently seeking a license from the Civil Aviation Authority, and finalizing takeoff and landing positions at various airports, Vince said.