Ryanair has given Trinity College Dublin €1.5 million towards research on sustainable aviation fuels and zero-carbon flying.
The airline and university announced the funding on Thursday, with the 'Ryanair Sustainable Aviation Research Centre' to be set up at Trinity.
The €1.5 million will go towards hiring six researchers for the centre, with work set to begin in the summer.
They hope that the research conducted at the centre will inform EU and international governments’ aviation policies.
The project will be overseen by Professor Stephen Dooley and Professor Stephen Spence.
Ryanair said it aims to power one in eight of its flights with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
It plans to cut its fuel consumption over the next decade with the purchase of new Boeing 737 Max jets.
Ryanair’s director of sustainability, Thomas Fowler, described the project as hugely exciting.
“This partnership with Trinity College Dublin seeks to inform and improve future investment by the aviation industry to secure a carbon neutral future for aviation and noise reduction through investment in new technologies,” he added.
Dr Patrick Prendergast, the university’s provost, said Trinity’s scientists and engineers would “tackle important questions such as how to reduce aircraft emissions with sustainable aviation fuels, electric propulsion, and reduced noise”.
