LanzaTech makes Sustainia 100, wins Observer Ethical Award with Virgin Atlantic

June 17, 2013 |

In Illinois, LanzaTech made the Sustainia 100 and received the Observer Ethical Award in partnership with Virgin Atlantic. From Canada to Kenya, Guatemala to the Philippines, Sustainia100 chooses the 100 most innovative and impactful solutions out of 500+ nominated projects and technologies. Overall, Sustainia100 maps sustainable solutions successfully deployed in 128 countries. Sustainia100 is a tool for investors, business leaders, decision makers and consumers as it provides insights to the most promising solutions at the forefront of sustainable transformation. As a selected Sustainia100 solution, LanzaTech also enters the field of nominees for the international sustainability award, Sustainia Award, chaired by former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic and LanzaTech, a producer of low-carbon fuels and chemicals from waste gases, were named as joint winner of the 2013 Observer Ethical Award in the Business Initiative category for their partnership to commercialise sustainable, low-carbon aviation biofuels. The Award is timely as the global aviation industry gathers this week at the Paris Air Show with sustainability and sustainable aviation fuels a major focus at the show.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have won this award – it’s inspiring and humbling to be in the company of such amazing award nominees and winners,” said Emma Harvey, Virgin Atlantic’s Head of Sustainability. “People often assume that sustainability and aviation are a contradiction in terms but as for any industry, we’re demonstrating that it is possible to pursue ground-breaking low carbon solutions for our business, whilst preserving the significant social and economic benefits that aviation brings. We’re delighted to be working with the LanzaTech team on their pioneering, next generation sustainable fuel and are doing all we can to make sure this becomes a commercial reality.”

The Observer Ethical Awards celebrate the projects, businesses, ideas, campaigns and activists making sustainable change a reality. Criteria include whether the business is ethical and commercially viable, whether it is leading is sector, and if it inspires others. The winners were announced yesterday at a ceremony in London informally known as ‘the green Oscars’.

“When we entered the scene no one knew how to think of us and what we do,” LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren told the Digest. “Some argued we were just using black carbon or helping the dirty steel industry survive. Now people are starting to realize that we reduce C footprint of industrial facilities in a way that results in a money being made rather than just using money to bury the problem. Also, that we can create a fuel to help diversity the fuel pool and to help increase energy security since our feedstocks are local.

More on the story.

Category: Fuels

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