Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is considered the most important way to decarbonise airline operations in the next few decades, before alternatively powered aircraft can be widely deployed in commercial operations.
In Doha, Gulf carrier Qatar Airways and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer Gevo Inc have signed an offtake agreement, where the airline will purchase 25mn US gallons of neat SAF over the course of five years with deliveries expected to commence in 2028 at various airports in California. Qatar Airways will be uplifting 5mn US gallons of neat SAF every year and will blend it with its existing supply of conventional jet fuel.
The airline became the first airline in the Middle East and Africa region to announce its commitment to an international SAF offtake agreement. This partnership is part of the airline’s earlier commitment, along with other oneworld Alliance members to purchase up to 200mn US gallons of SAF from Gevo.
Decarbonising aviation requires a gradual incorporation of lower carbon and sustainable aviation fuels, and we are proud to collaborate on this global effort for a better future.
Compared to conventional jet fuel, SAF can reduce up to 100% carbon emissions on a lifecycle basis, depending on the SAF technology used. Aircraft today are powered by liquid aviation fuel, made mostly from fossil fuel sources. Yet new fuels have been developed that have the potential to dramatically reduce aviation’s net CO2 emissions. Although supply is currently limited (0.01% of global jet fuel use), sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are already in use today and take-up is increasing.
Aviation currently accounts for approximately 2-3% of manmade global carbon emissions, but without action, aviation could consume up to 22% of the global carbon budget by 2050. To maintain growth and at the same time address its environmental impact, the wider aviation industry has committed to reducing net aviation carbon emissions to 50% below 2005 levels by 2050. Since the first commercial flight operated by KLM in 2011, more than 150,000 flights were powered by SAF.
The type of fuel known as ‘sustainable’ is essentially clean substitute for fossil jet fuels. Rather than being refined from petroleum, SAF is produced from sustainable resources such as waste oils from a biological origin, or non-fossil CO2. It is a so-called drop-in fuel, which means that it can be blended with fossil jet fuel and that the blended fuel requires no special infrastructure or equipment changes. It has the same characteristics and meets the same specifications as fossil jet fuel. Aircraft do not require modifications to be able to fly with SAF, and it’s a sustainable solution available to us today.
More than 99% of airline emissions and approximately 50% of airport emissions are related to the combustion of jet fuel. Although increased energy efficiency and reduction in energy demand are effective ways to reduce fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions, these improvements do not offer a sole solution to aviation-related emissions.
The aviation industry maintains a clear vision for its use of SAFs and will adopt only fuels made from feedstocks that can be grown or produced without the risk of unintended environmental and social consequences, such as competition with food production or deforestation.
Several airlines are driving forward the use of SAFs by signing multi-million dollar forward purchasing agreements. Others have invested in start-up support for SAF deployment, and some have promoted SAFs through test flights, research, and investigation of local opportunities. Five airports also have a regular SAF supply: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oslo, Bergen, and Stockholm.
However, scaling up the use of SAFs to a global market is challenging and requires substantial investment. The industry has called on governments to assist potential SAF suppliers to develop the necessary feedstock and refining systems – at least until the fledgling industry has achieved the necessary critical mass and prices drop thanks to economies of scale.
More than 45 airlines now have experience with SAF, and around 14bn litres of SAF are in forward purchase agreements.
Recognising the demand, British Airways’ parent company IAG is investing in a project to develop cost-effective sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial use in the UK.
Once in operation, it would be the UK’s first SAF facility utilising agricultural and wood waste taken from sustainable sources, according to the airline. BA is working with specialist partners Nova Pangaea Technologies and LanzaJet on the initiative.
Project Speedbird has now applied for the UK government’s Department for Transport’s advanced fuels fund grant for additional support as part of the government’s Jet Zero strategy, which will require at least 10% of UK jet fuel to be SAF by 2030.
The BA project aims to transform agricultural and wood waste taken from sustainable sources into 102mn litres of SAF a year. Construction could begin as early as next year and the facility, which is planned to be built in north-east England and is expected to be producing SAF by 2026.
The SAF produced would reduce CO2 emissions, by 230,000 tonnes a year on a “net lifecycle” basis, the equivalent emissions of approximately 26,000 BA domestic flights.
BA say that Project Speedbird has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 770,000 tonnes a year as the combined processes also produce renewable diesel and a material called biochar – a carbon-rich charcoal-like material left over after the agricultural and wood wastes have been processed.
BA sustainability director Carrie Harris said: “Project Speedbird is another great step towards our mission to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner and achieve our target of using SAF for 10% of our fuel by 2030.
“SAF is in high demand but in short supply across the globe and so it is essential that we scale up its production as quickly as possible.
“With further investment and continued government support, Speedbird will be a key and pioneering project in the production of SAF here in the UK.
“The biochar carbon removal opportunities are another important aspect of this impressive innovative project that can contribute to our net-zero action.”
Nova Pangaea Technologies chief executive Sarah Ellerby added: “This project will deliver the first end-to-end, sustainable value chain from agricultural and wood waste to SAF in the UK. “It will undoubtedly play a very important role in the growing momentum towards decarbonising our aviation sector. The support from British Airways is a vote of huge confidence in our technology and will accelerate its commercialisation”
“In July, the UK government announced its Jet Zero strategy signalling a SAF mandate of 10% of all UK flights to run on SAF by 2030.
“This agreement is another significant step towards meeting this mandate in the UK. Our aim is to help the UK become a global leader in the end-to-end SAF market, with consequent benefits to employment and business activity.”
In Doha, Gulf carrier Qatar Airways and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer Gevo Inc have signed an offtake agreement, where the airline will purchase 25mn US gallons of neat SAF over the course of five years with deliveries expected to commence in 2028 at various airports in California. Qatar Airways will be uplifting 5mn US gallons of neat SAF every year and will blend it with its existing supply of conventional jet fuel.
The airline became the first airline in the Middle East and Africa region to announce its commitment to an international SAF offtake agreement. This partnership is part of the airline’s earlier commitment, along with other oneworld Alliance members to purchase up to 200mn US gallons of SAF from Gevo.
Decarbonising aviation requires a gradual incorporation of lower carbon and sustainable aviation fuels, and we are proud to collaborate on this global effort for a better future.
Compared to conventional jet fuel, SAF can reduce up to 100% carbon emissions on a lifecycle basis, depending on the SAF technology used. Aircraft today are powered by liquid aviation fuel, made mostly from fossil fuel sources. Yet new fuels have been developed that have the potential to dramatically reduce aviation’s net CO2 emissions. Although supply is currently limited (0.01% of global jet fuel use), sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are already in use today and take-up is increasing.
Aviation currently accounts for approximately 2-3% of manmade global carbon emissions, but without action, aviation could consume up to 22% of the global carbon budget by 2050. To maintain growth and at the same time address its environmental impact, the wider aviation industry has committed to reducing net aviation carbon emissions to 50% below 2005 levels by 2050. Since the first commercial flight operated by KLM in 2011, more than 150,000 flights were powered by SAF.
The type of fuel known as ‘sustainable’ is essentially clean substitute for fossil jet fuels. Rather than being refined from petroleum, SAF is produced from sustainable resources such as waste oils from a biological origin, or non-fossil CO2. It is a so-called drop-in fuel, which means that it can be blended with fossil jet fuel and that the blended fuel requires no special infrastructure or equipment changes. It has the same characteristics and meets the same specifications as fossil jet fuel. Aircraft do not require modifications to be able to fly with SAF, and it’s a sustainable solution available to us today.
More than 99% of airline emissions and approximately 50% of airport emissions are related to the combustion of jet fuel. Although increased energy efficiency and reduction in energy demand are effective ways to reduce fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions, these improvements do not offer a sole solution to aviation-related emissions.
The aviation industry maintains a clear vision for its use of SAFs and will adopt only fuels made from feedstocks that can be grown or produced without the risk of unintended environmental and social consequences, such as competition with food production or deforestation.
Several airlines are driving forward the use of SAFs by signing multi-million dollar forward purchasing agreements. Others have invested in start-up support for SAF deployment, and some have promoted SAFs through test flights, research, and investigation of local opportunities. Five airports also have a regular SAF supply: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oslo, Bergen, and Stockholm.
However, scaling up the use of SAFs to a global market is challenging and requires substantial investment. The industry has called on governments to assist potential SAF suppliers to develop the necessary feedstock and refining systems – at least until the fledgling industry has achieved the necessary critical mass and prices drop thanks to economies of scale.
More than 45 airlines now have experience with SAF, and around 14bn litres of SAF are in forward purchase agreements.
Recognising the demand, British Airways’ parent company IAG is investing in a project to develop cost-effective sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial use in the UK.
Once in operation, it would be the UK’s first SAF facility utilising agricultural and wood waste taken from sustainable sources, according to the airline. BA is working with specialist partners Nova Pangaea Technologies and LanzaJet on the initiative.
Project Speedbird has now applied for the UK government’s Department for Transport’s advanced fuels fund grant for additional support as part of the government’s Jet Zero strategy, which will require at least 10% of UK jet fuel to be SAF by 2030.
The BA project aims to transform agricultural and wood waste taken from sustainable sources into 102mn litres of SAF a year. Construction could begin as early as next year and the facility, which is planned to be built in north-east England and is expected to be producing SAF by 2026.
The SAF produced would reduce CO2 emissions, by 230,000 tonnes a year on a “net lifecycle” basis, the equivalent emissions of approximately 26,000 BA domestic flights.
BA say that Project Speedbird has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 770,000 tonnes a year as the combined processes also produce renewable diesel and a material called biochar – a carbon-rich charcoal-like material left over after the agricultural and wood wastes have been processed.
BA sustainability director Carrie Harris said: “Project Speedbird is another great step towards our mission to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner and achieve our target of using SAF for 10% of our fuel by 2030.
“SAF is in high demand but in short supply across the globe and so it is essential that we scale up its production as quickly as possible.
“With further investment and continued government support, Speedbird will be a key and pioneering project in the production of SAF here in the UK.
“The biochar carbon removal opportunities are another important aspect of this impressive innovative project that can contribute to our net-zero action.”
Nova Pangaea Technologies chief executive Sarah Ellerby added: “This project will deliver the first end-to-end, sustainable value chain from agricultural and wood waste to SAF in the UK. “It will undoubtedly play a very important role in the growing momentum towards decarbonising our aviation sector. The support from British Airways is a vote of huge confidence in our technology and will accelerate its commercialisation”
“In July, the UK government announced its Jet Zero strategy signalling a SAF mandate of 10% of all UK flights to run on SAF by 2030.
“This agreement is another significant step towards meeting this mandate in the UK. Our aim is to help the UK become a global leader in the end-to-end SAF market, with consequent benefits to employment and business activity.”
-The author is an aviation analyst. Twitter handle: @AlexInAir
