A collaboration between Neste and Airbus will expand the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the aviation industry. Both parties agree that SAF is an important strategy for lowering greenhouse gas emissions caused by air travel. This partnership intends to hasten the adoption of SAF in the aviation industry, as reported by Cision.
Variety of actions
It will take a variety of actions to achieve the aviation sector’s ambitious “net zero carbon emissions by 2050” objective, including the use of fuel-efficient aircraft, enhanced operations, improved ground infrastructure, and the use of sustainable aviation fuel.
The ramp-up of SAF production is one of the main obstacles to boosting SAF use, according to Neste and Airbus. This partnership is creating the groundwork for Airbus and Neste to jointly promote the creation and use of sustainable aviation fuel and explore the business potential. The technical advancement of SAF, fuel approval and testing of present and upcoming production methods, and research into how “100% SAF” use might be enabled will be the main areas of concentration.
Sustainable future
“Neste is at the forefront of accelerating the aviation sector’s journey to a more sustainable future. That journey requires cooperation across the industry’s value chain. This collaboration with Airbus connects a pioneer in the aerospace industry with a leader in renewable fuels. The combined knowledge and expertise of the companies will help advance the use and availability of SAF as a means of transitioning aviation towards more sustainable energy sources and reducing the climate impact of aviation,” said Thorsten Lange, Executive Vice President, Renewable Aviation at Neste.
Promising solutions
“At Airbus, we believe SAF is one of aerospace’s most promising decarbonisation solutions that can be used in both in-service aircraft fleets and those of tomorrow. We are proud to partner with Neste and drive forward the development and uptake of SAF, stimulating the creation of a commercially viable market for renewable aviation fuels,” says Julie Kitcher, EVP Communications, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, Airbus. “All Airbus aircraft are already certified for flying with up to 50% SAF, and this partnership will be instrumental to reaching certification for 100% SAF by the end of the decade.”
Technical aspects
The agreement between Neste and Airbus builds on the cooperation in the ECLIF3 research project, the world’s first in-flight emissions study using 100% SAF on a wide-body commercial passenger aircraft, with Rolls-Royce and German research centre DLR. Following the collaboration in the ECLIF3 project, Airbus and Neste will be further working on the technical aspects of the challenge to reach 100% SAF certification.
Smaller carbon footprint
SAF delivers the performance of conventional jet fuel but with a significantly smaller carbon footprint on a life cycle basis. Using Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%* over the fuel’s life cycle compared to using fossil jet fuel. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel is produced from sustainably sourced 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, including used cooking oil and animal fat waste. Prior to use, SAF is blended with conventional jet fuel and works seamlessly with existing fueling infrastructure and aircraft engines.
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Source: Cision
