French global airport operator Groupe ADP has invested $20 million in US-based LanzaJet, an emerging international producer of sustainable aviation fuel. The investment was made by ADP International, a subsidiary of the group, as part of a strategy to transform its airports into energy hubs able to provide electricity, SAF and low-carbon hydrogen. The investment follows LanzaJet’s recent activation of the Freedom Pines facility in Soperton, Georgia, the world’s first ethanol-to-fuel plant, capable of both SAF and renewable diesel production. Groupe ADP is the third company to invest in LanzaJet this year, after the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund and the world’s biggest low-cost airline, Texas-based Southwest. LanzaJet has global expansion ambitions, with plans to develop plants elsewhere in America, as well as in Europe and Asia. It is also a partner in a new SAF project planned for Queensland, Australia.

The latest investment by Groupe ADP  is part of a plan to supply SAF at competitive prices in France and globally, and specifically to help strengthen LanzaJet’s production and deployment capabilities.  

In addition to the three major airports in Paris – Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget – Groupe ADP has management contracts or concessions at 23 more airports, including through investments in Turkey’s TAV Airports and Indian operator GMR Airports. Among the hubs it manages are those in three capitals: Zagreb, Amman and Santiago.

“Low-carbon aviation will not take off without the transformation of airports into energy hubs with a range of low-carbon solutions,” explained Augustin de Romanet, CEO of Groupe ADP. “The airport revolution must happen now, and it is underway in Paris.

“As the world’s leading airport operator, we want to go further and act at source by supporting the production of sustainable aviation fuel, investing directly in LanzaJet, an innovative company able to deploy its technology responsibly around the world, and adapting to local waste to make these new fuels available everywhere.”

Groupe ADP was also the first airport company to invest in the United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, an investment fund established by the world’s third-biggest airline to support the development of SAF. 

LanzaJet is aiming to produce 1 billion gallons of SAF (3.8 billion litres) per year by 2030 and, from the second half of this year, 10 million gallons (38 million litres) per year at its first US facility, Freedom Pines, which uses alcohol produced from feedstocks including municipal waste and forestry and agricultural residues.

“We continue to lay the foundation for building the SAF industry across the entire value chain,” said LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis. “With this significant contribution from Groupe ADP, a first-of-its-kind in the industry, we will expand LanzaJet’s technology deployment and global growth.

“Together, we will work towards expanding sustainable aviation fuel production and logistics into airports to support airlines and Groupe ADP customers worldwide as the industry works collaboratively to decarbonise.” 

The Groupe ADP investment closely follows another from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, which also supports LanzaJet’s SAF development and deployment. The two companies will additionally explore how Microsoft’s data and artificial intelligence technology can support LanzaJet’s corporate functions and ethanol-to-SAF process technology.

Details of the latest investment were not disclosed, but in 2022 Microsoft provided a $50 million project finance investment to support construction of the Freedom Pines facility.

“Our continued alignment with Microsoft allows LanzaJet to build our team and capacity at pace to support global deployment of our leading sustainable fuels process technology,” said Samartzis. “Microsoft has played a significant role in making SAF production a reality in the United States, and this investment re-emphasises its urgent commitment to decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors.”

Through its investment in LanzaJet, Microsoft can also gain access to SAF and renewable diesel, and SAF certificates (SAFc) from future LanzaJet projects to progress its own 2030 carbon neutrality targets.

“Microsoft is proud to support LanzaJet with our investment in the growth of its sustainable fuel technology business,” said Brandon Middaugh, senior director of Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund. “Microsoft is investing in partners who share our commitment to advancing a net-zero economy and who are building the market for critical solutions like SAF and renewable diesel.”

Also this year, LanzaJet has received a $30 million investment from Southwest Airlines, as part of a broader deal in which the two will collaborate on developing a SAF production facility in the US. That project will progress the operations of another energy company in which Southwest is invested, SAFFiRE Renewables, which specialises in converting corn stover to ethanol.

Other investors and funders in LanzaJet include All Nippon Airways, Breakthrough Energy, British Airways, Lanzatech, Mitsui & Co, Shell and Suncor Energy.

Photo: The LanzaJet Freedom Pines plant

Tony Harrington

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As part of a multi-million-pound investment programme to overhaul and reduce emissions from its ground fleet at London’s Heathrow Airport, more than 90% of British Airways’ vehicles and ground support equipment (GSE) are now either zero emissions electrical equipment when used or driven, hybrids or are operating on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. The airline has further plans over the next two years for switching other equipment and vehicles to electric, hybrid or HVO. As well as saving CO2 emissions, the changes are aimed at reducing negative air quality impacts around the Heathrow area. Heathrow Airport itself has switched over 95% of its operational diesel fleet to run on HVO. It has also launched an initiative, the Heathrow Fly Up, to create awareness among travellers in response to a survey showing only 14% had heard of sustainable aviation fuels.

The ground energy transition programme at Heathrow by British Airways is part of a £7 billion ($9bn) investment plan unveiled recently by the airline to transform many parts of its business over the next three years.

“We are committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and our focus isn’t just about reducing emissions in the air, but on the ground too,” commented Tom Moran, British Airways’ Director of Heathrow. “This major investment into our vehicles at Heathrow is our largest investment in more sustainable airport ground operations to date and is part of our wider environmental objective to minimise emissions from our airside ground operation.”

Having replaced more than 750 pieces of GSE with HVO-fuelled versions last year, BA is this year introducing 135 new electric baggage tugs that will use new energy-efficient chargers. Over the next two years, it will replace diesel passenger aircraft steps with electric alternatives, saving 370 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, swapping diesel-powered cargo vehicles with hybrid electric versions and replacing all diesel passenger buses with electric or HVO versions that will save 800 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. A large charging park is now in the early stages of development at the airport.

Replacing the use of diesel with HVO in GSE is an interim measure, says BA, while it gradually transitions to zero emissions or hybrid equipment. Provided by the airline’s current SAF supplier Phillips 66, the use of HVO is anticipated to save more than 6,000 tonnes of CO2 per year compared to traditional diesel fuel, the equivalent of more than 8,000 round-trip economy passenger journeys between Heathrow and New York JFK, it says.

“I am incredibly proud of this project, which has been driven by our Heathrow ground operations teams and encapsulates our BA Better World ethos of raising awareness of our strategy to all of our colleagues, and inspiring them to play a part in minimising our environmental impact where possible,” said Carrie Harris, Director of Sustainability at British Airways. ”Their energy, enthusiasm and innovative approach in bringing the project to life shows what can be achieved and this investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to making improvements across our business that will benefit both our customers and colleagues.”

The airline has just published its latest sustainability report, BA Better World Report 2023, which shows it reduced carbon intensity in 2023 to 86.2g CO2/epk (equivalent passenger km) – 10% lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019 and a 3% intensity improvement from 2022. Intensity performance declined to 110g CO2/pkm (passenger km) in 2020, at the height of the Covid pandemic, and has recovered steadily since then. Emissions from jet fuel consumption fell from just over 19 million tonnes in 2019 to just under 15 million tonnes in 2023, a fall of 21%.

The airline reports using more than 50,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel in 2023, representing 1% of total fuel supply, a five-fold increase on the 9,980 tonnes of SAF utilised in 2022, and mitigating around 150,000 tonnes of CO2 in lifecycle emissions. BA helped corporate and cargo customers reduce over 142,000 tonnes of their Scope 3 emissions in 2023. It is aiming to reach 10% SAF usage by 2030.

Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport has set a goal for 11% of the jet fuel used at the airport to be SAF by 2030. Its pioneering scheme to incentivise the use of SAF at the airport by approximately halving the price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF to make it more affordable to airlines has, it says, resulted in around 10% of the world’s SAF being used at Heathrow in 2022. The scheme is targeting 2.5% of all fuel used at Heathrow to be SAF in 2024, representing up to 155,000 tonnes of fuel.

Heathrow says SAF is the single biggest driver to help it reach net zero by 2050 and is trying to raise its importance and understanding to travellers passing through the airport. It has launched a “biofuel breakfast”, dubbed the Fly Up, in association with Heston Blumenthal’s Perfectionists’ Café in Terminal 2, which is cooked with oil that is then collected, cleaned and recycled by waste management service Quatra. The processed used oil is then sent elsewhere to be transformed into biofuels including SAF and HVO.

The Heathrow Fly Up

In addition to just 14% of travellers having heard of SAF, new research by Opinium of 2,000 UK adults reveals only 27% believe SAF will make the aviation industry more sustainable. Heathrow says it is actively encouraging passengers to use climate tech company CHOOOSE that has a platform to provide an option to support SAF or certified reforestation projects, regardless of their airline or end destination.

“We are delighted to partner with Heston Blumenthal’s Perfectionists’ Café to introduce the Fly Up, a breakfast that not only gives passengers a delicious start to the day but will raise awareness about SAF and its potential to transform the industry,” said Matt Gorman, Heathrow’s Director of Carbon. “By demonstrating how cooking oils can be converted into biofuels, we want people to understand how SAF is a real solution to decarbonise aviation and show how we’re continuing our mission to get to net zero by 2050.”

Top photo: British Airways HVO fuel tanker at Heathrow

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New research commissioned by Royal Schiphol Group, which operates Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, has concluded it must cut carbon emissions by at least 30% below 2019 levels before 2030 – compared to the national ambition of 9% – to meet climate targets aligning with the Paris Agreement. The Group commissioned two studies, one by the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), the other by sustainability research body CE Delft, to help establish what actions would be needed to contain the airport’s CO2 emissions within Paris parameters. Options proposed for Schiphol, one of Europe’s biggest air hubs, included further development of new technology, rapid upscaling of sustainable aviation fuel and “ambitious” demand management focusing on long-haul flights, premium class travel and private flights. The research also concluded that a net zero target for a specific year was insufficient to achieve decarbonisation goals and highlighted the need for ongoing incremental improvements.

“Given the strong international nature of aviation, it is essential that the polluter pays,” commented Royal Schiphol Group on the conclusions of the studies. “A strengthened national and international policy is needed.”

Based on the two reports, the group has recommended a package of remedial initiatives headlined by replacement of the Dutch air passenger tax with a distance-based tax targeting long-haul flights, which produce aviation’s highest CO2 emissions, and taxes on business class and private flights, with all takings to be reinvested in the Dutch aviation sector to assist its transition from fossil fuels.

Royal Schiphol also called for a broadening of the EU Emissions Trading System to include intercontinental flights, which are currently exempt, along with a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in Europe to prevent carbon leakage, and it endorsed a global kerosene tax and SAF blending obligations, to be overseen by ICAO.

The Schiphol recommendations follow a controversial decision last year in which the airport, mirroring the ambitions of its biggest shareholder, the Netherlands government, announced it would progressively cap the number of flights as a measure to reduce aircraft noise around the hub and beneath flight paths. KLM, the national and most affected airline, and IATA, on behalf of other operators, immediately launched court action to block the plan. They achieved temporary deferral of the ruling, a decision which was quickly overturned on appeal. But then the government suspended the plan, despite continued argument by the airport that flight restrictions would still be needed to contain noise and reduce emissions.

The report by the Netherlands Aerospace Centre estimates the nation’s aviation activity accounted for 1.16% of total global emissions from aviation, and that 96% of the Netherlands’ aviation CO2 was generated at Schiphol Airport.

“Current in-sector decarbonisation measures, excluding offsetting, are not enough to meet Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) derived carbon budgets compatible with 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol,” says the report. “Significant demand management measures, to be implemented by 2030 at the latest, seem the only viable way out.”

It says 80% of Dutch flights are intra-EU and contribute about 20% of total aviation CO2 emissions, whereas 15% of the longest distance flights (over 5,000 km) are responsible for some 75% of emissions. “As such, demand management measures targeting long distance flights are more effective than measures reducing total demand,” says NLR.

The level of CO2 emissions in 2030 is the key determinant for cumulative emissions over the 2020-2050 period, stresses the report. Cumulative emissions 2020 to 2030 are governed by fleet renewal, operational improvements, SAF blending and the traffic network (number of flights). Cumulative emissions 2031 to 2050 are governed by RefuelEU Aviation, annual efficiency improvement and the 2030 emissions level. Additional and higher quality SAF, or further efficiency improvements only make a limited 2-8% impact on cumulative CO2 for 2031-2050.

The CE Delft report for Schiphol estimates aviation’s 2019 proportion of global CO2 emissions was 2.4% from tank-to-wing emissions – those created purely from aviation fuel combustion – and 3.9% from well-to-wing emissions, which also incorporate the CO2 expelled from fuel production and distribution.

“In the last decades aviation emissions grew by 3-4% per year,” it reports. “Growth in flights has always outperformed the efficiency improvements by new aircraft types and more efficient operations, leading to growth in emissions.

“A net zero target in a specific year is not sufficient. Global warming is driven by the cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between today and the moment when global net zero is achieved. In-sector action between now and 2030 reduces cumulative CO2 emissions but overshoots the majority of airport carbon budgets.”

The report says replacing fossil fuels with SAF is technically relatively easy but expensive and predicts technological breakthroughs such as battery-electric or hydrogen propulsion would not lead to significant emission reductions in the next two decades. It adds new aircraft types currently in development will be in operation in 2050, powered by kerosene or SAF.

“Immediate scaling up of biofuel production and pre-commercial development of the synthetic fuel production are essential,” says CE Delft. However, it cautions that availability of biomass fuel feedstock and renewable energy would be limited in coming decades, and demand for these resources would be high among competing sectors and global regions.

“Technological breakthroughs will come too late and SAF production has limits,” warns CE Delft, adding: “The instruments that are currently in place are not sufficient. They need to be updated or replaced as soon as possible.”

The CE Delft report concurs with the NLR conclusion that demand management measures are necessary to align the aviation sector with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

However, CE Delft acknowledges that if the number of long distance flights from the Netherlands is reduced, a large number of passengers and cargo operators will switch to other airports, while others will fly less as a consequence of a decline in connectivity and higher ticket prices.

“If the ambition to reduce CO2 is much higher in the Netherlands than in neighbouring or competing countries worldwide, this may lead to competitive disadvantages in the short term,” it says. “Not taking this action will have tremendous consequences in the long term.

“The aviation industry worldwide has to answer the question as to how it prevents a substantial overshoot of the remaining carbon budget. Action is needed in all parts of the world. This includes the development of new technology, fast upscaling of sustainable fuels but also ambitious demand management.”

Photo © Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Roger Cremers)

Tony Harrington

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Airbus, airline SAS, Swedish energy company Vattenfall and airport operators Avinor and Swedavia have signed a MoU to work together to develop infrastructure for hydrogen aviation in Sweden and Norway. The partners will undertake a feasibility study covering both countries and over 50 airports, and will develop a framework and review the conditions for a possible roll-out. The one-year study, with the possibility of an extension, will also look at scenarios for the potential number of hydrogen-powered aircraft movements and the volume of hydrogen required that would need to be stored at the airports. Hydrogen is a crucial component of the aviation sector’s energy transition but will require airports to adapt to new procedures linked to refuelling, safety and fire protection, as well as the handling of liquid hydrogen.

The framework will cover the entire chain, from production and transport to storage and hydrogen refuelling at commercial airports. By bringing together competencies that cover all aspects of aviation, the collaboration aims to create an overall picture of the conditions required to enable the transition to hydrogen-powered aviation, say the partners. The work will also identify the pathways to select which airports will be transformed first to operate hydrogen-powered aircraft in both countries, as well as the accompanying regulatory framework.

“Swedavia, Avinor and SAS have already established successful collaborations in fossil-free aviation, and it is therefore exciting that Airbus, with its extensive knowledge of hydrogen-powered aircraft through its ZEROe initiative, and Vattenfall, with its expertise in electricity and energy production, are joining us in a more in-depth collaboration,” said Swedavia CEO Jonas Abrahamsson.

“Hydrogen is expected to gradually become an increasing part of the aviation industry’s fuel mix in the future and will therefore have an increasing effect on the infrastructure and planning of our airports.”

The switch to hydrogen-powered aviation is a complex process, says the Swedish airport operator, and infrastructure will have to be adapted due to the need to store hydrogen and, potentially, to enable the production of hydrogen at, or in close proximity, to airports.

Norway, as well as Sweden, is well positioned to be an early mover in the introduction of hydrogen-powered aircraft, believes Avinor CEO Abraham Foss. “As the owner of 43 airports across Norway, Avinor has already been working on sustainability for many years and has taken a position to be a driving force and facilitator for the green transition of Norwegian aviation,” he said.

Commented Anna Borg, CEO of Vattenfall: “Aviation is a hard to abate industry where breaking away from fossil fuels is a huge challenge today. This cross-border collaboration, however, demonstrates the willingness to bring about change. We look forward to contributing our expertise in electricity market development, electrical infrastructure and hydrogen production in Sweden.”

Airbus unveiled its first ZEROe hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft in 2020, aiming to bring it to market by 2035. It also launched its Hydrogen Hub at Airports programme (see graphic below) to jumpstart research into infrastructure requirements and low-carbon airport operations. Airbus has already signed agreements with partners and airports in ten countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

“Hydrogen stands out as a key enabler as we pioneer a sustainable aviation future,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO. “Norway and Sweden are among the most demanding regions for aviation and have great potential for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. I am very pleased to enter into this cooperation with partners fully engaged to take significant steps towards decarbonising aerospace. It fits perfectly with our strategy of deploying hydrogen aviation ecosystems in the most suitable parts of the world.”

In January, Airbus opened a ZEROe Development Centre (ZEDC) at its Stade, Germany, site. The centre will accelerate the development of composite hydrogen system technologies for storing cryogenic liquid hydrogen, said Airbus. ZEDC Stade is part of a network of development centres for technologies to decarbonise the aerospace industry and complement other Airbus sites in Europe to get a hydrogen-powered aircraft in the sky by the middle of the next decade.

Top image (Airbus): Turboprop concept of ZEROe hydrogen-powered aircraft at the airport

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The decarbonisation of the industry is its highest priority but achieving net zero will come at a net extra cost of over €820 billion ($900m) for European aviation, a cost no sector can bear on its own, said Javier Marin, President of ACI Europe, in a plea for fiscal support. He told delegates at the airport body’s annual congress in Barcelona the EU’s Fit for 55 package will increase airfares and reduce demand, possibly by up to 20%, and with intra-European routes being the most impacted, regional airports and the communities would be most at risk of losing out on air connectivity. He called for additional policy and financial support to boost production of sustainable aviation fuels in Europe and access to green energy to support the deployment of hydrogen and electric/hybrid powered aircraft. During the meeting, held in conjunction with ACI World’s annual assembly, an Airports of Tomorrow initiative was launched with the World Economic Forum.

Marin, who is also Managing Director of Spanish airports operator Aena, restated the airport industry’s backing for the EU SAF mandates, which he said would provide the certainty needed to trigger investments in European production capabilities, and the importance of support mechanisms such as the EU Innovation Fund and SAF allowances under the EU ETS.

“We absolutely need to boost the production of SAF in Europe and bridge the gap with conventional fuels,” he said. “This requires concrete and actionable support beyond what is currently foreseen to counterbalance the very effective US approach of multiple tax breaks. This implies that SAF are designated as ‘net zero strategic technology’ under the EU Net Zero Industry Act and benefit from the related regulatory support. This also means European states must urgently work on their national SAF supply strategy together with industry – and provide direct financial support.”

He said deploying and servicing hydrogen-powered and electric/hybrid aircraft would involve reconfiguring energy supply, storage and distribution at airports.

“This will require not just massive investments, but also access to considerable green energy,” he told delegates at the ACI Europe/World Annual General Assembly in Barcelona. “This must be factored in and addressed in transport and energy policies in a coordinated way at European and national level. Delivering net zero aviation will be conditional upon no airport being left behind in the energy transition.”

Marin bemoaned the ability of airlines to “freely charge” passengers airfares “that have increased six times over the consumer inflation rate” while airports were “stuck” with charges that needed regulatory approval long in advance.

The meeting heard the total number of airports individually committed to net zero emissions in Europe had risen to 324 in 38 countries, accounting for 76% of the continent’s passenger traffic. Since last year’s pledge, 48 airports have advanced their target, while 132 airports are now committed to reaching net zero by 2030 or earlier.

The publicly available repository of airport net zero carbon roadmaps, provided by ACI Europe to ensure the transparency and efficacy of airports’ progress to their climate objectives, is expanding. The updated repository now covers 153 airports and ACI Europe’s Net Zero Resolution has a new requirement that commits airports to submit a roadmap within one year. An updated edition of the guidance document on developing an airport net zero roadmap was released during the meeting.

“The Resolution, first launched in 2019, has become a reference point for airports’ commitments and tangible progress in reaching net zero carbon as fast as possible,” commented Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe’s Director General. “The European airport industry is embracing decarbonisation on an unprecedented scale.”

The Airports of Tomorrow initiative aims to bring public and private stakeholders together to address the energy, infrastructure and financing needs of the industry’s transition to net zero by 2050. Built on four pillars – infrastructure, sustainable aviation fuel, finance and innovation – the project will involve expertise exchange and knowledge sharing, the development of tools and guidance, and the advancement of advocacy.

“The initiative will help airports transform from passenger hubs into energy hubs. It is an exciting time for airports – the energy transformation presents them with an opportunity to further lead and change the future of aviation for the better,” said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe.

Added Lauren Uppink, Head of Climate Strategy at World Economic Forum: “We see airports as strategically located epicentres of activity, where leaders from across the aviation ecosystem can convene and work together to transform the industry. If the right planning and investment decisions are made today, airports can play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future for aviation as well as other sectors.

“The initiative will help airports harness these opportunities, enabling them to fulfil their potential as clean energy hubs and standard-bearers for the net zero economy.”

Photo (Aena): Barcelona-El Prat Airport

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In its latest progress report to Parliament, the UK’s independent advisory Climate Change Committee says continued unconstrained capacity expansion at UK airports is putting at risk the government’s net zero emissions target. The Committee has previously recommended there should be no net airport expansion across the UK but notes UK airports have increased their capacities and continue to develop expansion proposals. Unless aviation’s carbon intensity is outperforming the government’s pathway and can accommodate this additional demand, it says, no airport expansions should proceed until a UK-wide capacity management framework is in place to annually assess and, if required, control sector CO2 emissions and non-CO2 effects. Making up 7% of all UK emissions, estimated aviation emissions in 2022 were 29 MtCO2e, up 95% from 2021, but still 25% below 2019 levels.

The longer term historical trend shows a gradual increase in emissions due to rising demand for long-haul flights only partly being compensated for by improved efficiencies. “Overall, our aviation indicators are not showing progress that can be attributed to policy implementation,” says the Committee’s report.

The UK government’s Jet Zero Strategy for achieving net zero emissions from UK aviation by 2050, published in July 2022, recommitted to 70% passenger demand growth by 2050 on 2018 levels. However, its reliance on nascent technology, especially rapid SAF uptake and aircraft, is a high-risk approach, warns the Committee.

“The government does not have a policy framework in place to ensure that emissions reductions in the aviation sector occur if these technologies are not delivered on time and at sufficient scale,” it points out and says demand management is the most effective way of reducing aviation CO2 and non-CO2 emissions. The range of options to manage demand available to the government, it suggests, include digital technologies, addressing private flying and providing lower-cost domestic rail travel.

“The government should develop a suite of policy and technology options to address aviation demand,” it advises. The capacity management framework should be developed by the Department for Transport in cooperation with the devolved UK administrations over the next 12 months “and should be operational by the end of 2024 at the latest.”

The Committee’s own forecasts assume a 2-3% uptake of sustainable aviation fuel  by 2030, while the government is expected to adopt a much more ambitious 10% target under its SAF mandate, which the Committee says is both delayed and dependent on an uncertain domestic and global feedstock supply.

“The government must build in contingency and risk management into the SAF mandate to prepare for the possibility of constrained domestic and global SAF supply throughout the 2020s and 2030s,” it states, and also recommends the government commits to a minimum goal of no further additional warming after 2050 from non-CO2 effects.

Commenting on the report, the Committee’s outgoing Chairman, Lord Deben, said: “In present circumstances, there can be no question of allowing unconstrained airport expansion. The government has placed all the emphasis on new technologies, but we must not forget aviation demand. I’d urge the government to reconsider its recent Jet Zero Strategy.”

In a briefing to journalists, he added: “We have to make it quite clear to government that you cannot allow emissions growth from aviation beyond what we have already said. At the moment, it seems open ended in that capacity can be expanded at one airport but nothing done to reduce it elsewhere. There needs to be a clear statement from government about what it means in practical terms, rather than the present situation.”

Responding to the report, Cait Hewitt, Policy Director of UK campaign group Aviation Environment Federation, said: “This is the Committee’s strongest ever advice on airport expansion. But in fact they’ve been telling the government for years to get a grip on aviation demand. Instead, the official strategy allows unlimited growth in flying in the hope that new technologies and fuels will save the day.

“We can’t sit back and wait to see if these magic planes will appear on the market while building in expansions that will allow for more and more fossil-powered flying. The government’s ‘jet zero’ plans are already falling apart – it’s recently had to admit that it has no idea how to get enough sustainable feedstock to meet its targets to make aircraft fuel out of wastes and we’ve yet to see any proposals for ramping up aircraft efficiency improvements.

“The government needs to stop giving in to the aviation industry’s insatiable demands for growth and recognise that in a climate emergency, all sectors of the economy need to start doing things differently.”

The Airport Operators Association, which represents 40 UK airports, said it disagreed with the Committee’s recommendation on airport expansion.

“The aviation industry and the UK government both have a plan in place for UK aviation to achieve net-zero by 2050 while still accommodating growth in air travel in that same time frame. Banning airport expansion now, in the way suggested would damage the UK’s economic future and deter investment from the UK,” said Chief Executive Karen Dee.

“What is needed, rather than focusing on preventing people flying, is policies and measures which enable change: for example through modernising airspace, supporting and requiring the use of sustainable aviation fuel, and supporting the development and deployment of hydrogen and electric flight. By adopting this approach, we can deliver our net-zero ambitions while also ensuring people can continue to enjoy the many and varied benefits that aviation delivers.”

Previous recommendations from the Committee that have been adopted by the government include aviation emissions from international flights being included in the UK’s net zero target and, from 2033, included in the legally-binding UK carbon budgets.

Photo: London Gatwick Airport is preparing a planning application to bring its northern runway into regular use, for departures, alongside its main runway

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Ryanair has commenced using a 40% blend of sustainable aviation fuel in all its operations from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport through a new agreement with renewable fuel producer Neste, advancing the carrier’s goal of 12.5% SAF use across all its flights by 2030. The European low-cost airline did not disclose details of the volume of fuel to be acquired or the term of the agreement. The deal builds upon a recent MoU between Ryanair and Shell through which the energy company will supply SAF at more than 200 European airports served by Ryanair between 2025 and 2030. Neste has started providing renewable diesel fuel to power ground service vehicles at Schiphol, which is targeting net zero emissions by 2030. The airport has proposed a night closure, a ban on private jets and the scrapping of plans for a new runway as part of becoming “quieter, cleaner and better”.

Ryanair operates a total of 63 flights per week from Schiphol, flying to both Dublin, the airline’s home base, and the Spanish resort of Malaga. Thomas Fowler, the airline’s Director of Sustainability, said the new deal with Neste, which took effect this month, boosted Ryanair’s use of SAF at Amsterdam from one third of its departures to all services. “Increasing the use of SAF is a fundamental pillar of our Pathway to Net Zero by 2050 decarbonisation strategy,” he said. “This increase at Amsterdam will reduce greenhouse gas emissions of our flights from there by 32%.”

However, the Amsterdam deal will make only an incremental difference to Ryanair’s total decarbonisation effort, given the carrier’s steep growth projections for the next five years. In its recent Q3 financial update, the airline said it operated more than 3,200 flights each day across a network of 2,450 routes, serving 236 airports with a fleet 523 aircraft, and flagged a total of 168 million passenger journeys for the full financial year. It also forecast a rise to 185 million passenger journeys in 2024, 205 million in 2025 and 225 million in 2026.   

In addition to the recent partnership with Shell, which the airline said could potentially provide access to 360,000 tonnes of SAF, or 120 million gallons, over a five-year period, Ryanair continues to introduce new, more fuel-efficient, Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, of which it already operates more than 80 from a total order of 210. As well, the airline recently signed a $175 million agreement with Aviation Partners Boeing to retrofit new split scimitar devices to the wingtips of its existing fleet of more than 400 Boeing 737-800NG jets that would help reduce aerodynamic drag in flight and cut fuel consumption by up to 1.5%. Ryanair estimates that the devices, the first of which have already been installed, will reduce annual fuel consumption by more than 65 million litres and carbon emissions by 165,000 tonnes.

“Decarbonising aviation is more important than ever, and we are proud to support Ryanair in achieving their ambitious Pathway to Net Zero by 2050,” said Alexander Kuper, VP EAME for Neste’s renewable aviation division. “Increasing the usage of SAF to all flights departing from Schiphol is a major milestone enabling Ryanair to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions of its operations at the airport.”

Neste has also signed SAF agreements this year with three other European carriers – Brussels Airlines, Wizz Air and Finnair. In January, Brussels Airlines received the first supply of Neste SAF pumped to Brussels Airport via NATO’s Central European Pipeline System (CEPS). Neste also reached agreement with Wizz Air, providing the airline “the opportunity to purchase” 36,000 tonnes of SAF per year for three years, starting in 2025, for use in its European and UK operations. Finnair has purchased 750 tonnes of SAF from Neste as part of its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. The airline said this was sufficient to power around 400 flights between Helsinki and Stockholm if using unblended 100% SAF.

In addition to its SAF deals with airlines, Neste has begun supplying HVO100 renewable diesel product to replace conventional diesel fuel in all ground handing vehicles and machinery at Schiphol, where 40% of vehicles are already electrically-powered.  “This is a significant step on the way towards a zero-emission ground operation in 2030,” said Denise Pronk, Head of Sustainability for the airport’s management company Royal Schiphol Group. “The vehicles for which there are currently no electric or hydrogen alternatives available can run on renewable diesel. Everyone on airside, where the loads are moved to or from aircraft, is making use of it.”

While Ryanair is planning to cut its emissions at Schiphol, the airport is at the centre of controversial attempts by its main shareholder, the Dutch government, to further reduce aircraft emissions and noise by introducing measures including a ban on flight departures between midnight and 6am, and arrivals between midnight and 5am.

The decision, announced by Royal Schiphol Group, was temporarily blocked by a Dutch court after the airline industry successfully argued the airport operator acted without required consultation.

Welcoming the court’s preliminary decision, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the Dutch government had unilaterally decided to reduce flight movements at Schiphol Airport from 500,000 to 440,000 per year.

“We believed no legal basis existed for this reduction,” said IATA. “It violates international treaties and European regulations. Governments can lower the number of flight movements in order to reduce noise, but only after having a careful process, consisting of, for example, assessing the current noise level, setting a noise goal and considering alternative measures. This did not occur.”

Joining IATA in its legal action were KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air Canada, United Airlines, JetBlue, Lufthansa, British Airways, Vueling, FedEx and advocacy group Airlines for America (A4A).

Justifying its future ban on private jets and small business aviation, the airport operator said this sector caused a “disproportionate amount of noise nuisance and CO2 emissions per passenger – around 20 times more CO2 compared to a commercial flight.” Private jet flights to holiday destinations make up 30-50% of all such flights from Schiphol, it added.

The night time and private jet measures would apply no later than 2025-2026, expects Schiphol. It also wants to keep 2.5% of available take-off and landing slots for cargo flights, which it believes are under threat due to international slot regulations. However, cargo flights will have to conform with new tighter rules for noisier aircraft and the new night closure measure.

The airport has also abandoned plans for an additional parallel runway and, together with central government, is setting up an environmental fund for the local area. Between now and 2030 it intends investing a total of €70 million ($76m) in innovative construction concepts, home insulation and area development “for an improved living environment”.

“Schiphol connects the Netherlands with the rest of the world. We want to keep doing that but we must do it better,” commented Ruud Sondag, CEO of Royal Schiphol Group, on the measures. “The only way forward is to become quieter and cleaner more rapidly. We have thought about growth but too little about its impact for too long. We need to be sustainable for our employees, the local environment and the world.

“I realise that our choices may have significant implications for the aviation industry, but they are necessary. This shows we mean business. It is the only way, based on concrete measures, to regain the trust of employees, passengers, neighbours, politics and society.”

Photo: Ryanair (Piotr Mitelski)

London’s Heathrow Airport is making available a £38 million ($46m) fund to encourage airlines using the airport to power their aircraft in part by sustainable aviation fuel, with the incentive aimed at covering up to 50% of the extra cost of SAF compared to conventional jet fuel. The oversubscribed incentive scheme started in 2022 with six airlines participating and Heathrow is now aiming to triple the percentage of SAF used this year to 1.5% and become one of the world’s leading airport users of SAF. English airports are targeted by the UK government to be zero-emission by 2040 and a second consultation has been opened by the Department for Transport (DfT) that aims to gather more information and feedback on the scope of the 2040 goal and the route for implementation. In other UK news, the DfT has announced the five winning proposals for a share of the Advanced Fuels Fund competition, aimed at developing SAF production plants in the UK, and Birmingham Airport and ZeroAvia are to partner on zero-emission flights.

Heathrow says it is the first airport in the world to offer airlines a contribution towards making the extra cost of purchasing SAF and participants in the scheme include IAG, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, Air France, KLM and JetBlue. The airport says it is committed to progressively increasing the SAF used each year, with the aim of reaching 11% of all fuel by 2030. This year, the incentive is expected to save over 81,000 tonnes of CO2.

“Team Heathrow is now probably the biggest user of SAF in the world, but it is currently all imported,” said the airport’s outgoing CEO, John Holland-Kaye. “If Britain really wants to compete with the scale of ambition and the credible action seen from the US and Europe, supportive government policy is needed, and it is needed now.”

Heathrow says the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States, which includes a tax credit scheme, “is designed to lure SAF investors to America and leaving the UK at risk of missing out on the multi-billion-pound industry.” It is calling for a Contracts for Difference price support mechanism to help cut the price premium and for the UK government to make a decision this year on committing into legislation a 10% mandate for SAF use by 2030.

“Delay could mean the UK SAF industry suffers and cannot keep up internationally,” argues Heathrow. “By delivering both, the UK will see an immediate and tangible impact – with investment, jobs and skills seen right across the UK.”

While details of the proposed SAF mandate are due to be published shortly (see article), which will require having at least five commercial-scale plants under construction in the UK by 2025 to meet the mandate’s target, the government has announced five awards under its £165 million ($200m) Advanced Fuel Fund that will allocate funding to support UK advanced fuels projects until March 2025. The grant funding is to be provided to first-of-a-kind commercial and demonstration scale projects at all development stages up to the start of construction.

With regards to a second application window for the fund, DfT is still considering whether or when further funding windows should proceed. In the event of a second application window, the competition would be open to all eligible projects and not just those already selected.

The five projects receiving funding in the first window are:

• Alfanar Energy (Lighthouse Green Fuels) – £11,001,00
• Fulcrum BioEnergy (NorthPoint) – £16,764,000
• LanzaTech UK (DRAGON) – £24,960,843
• Velocys (Altalto) – £27,000,000
• Velocys (e-Alto) – £2,523,094

Commenting on its award, Fulcrum CEO Eric Pryor said: “We applaud the UK government and the DfT for taking another step towards significantly reducing net carbon emissions for hard-to-abate sectors, including aviation, through the support of low-carbon SAF projects, including our Fulcrum NorthPoint facility. This funding furthers our engineering efforts for the plant and well positions Fulcrum for additional project funding for the facility. We look forward to bringing our patented process, technical expertise, IP and experience from the successful commissioning and initial operations of our first commercial-scale plant [in the US] to the UK to make Fulcrum NorthPoint a success.”

In December, Fulcrum announced the successful production of low-carbon synthetic crude oil from landfill waste at its world’s first commercial-scale waste-to-fuels Sierra BioFuels Plant, located in Nevada. The company’s development programme includes plants in Indiana, Texas and the NorthPoint project in the UK.

In other UK airport news, the government is keen to accelerate decarbonisation of airport operations, which would have the co-benefit of significantly decreasing harmful nitrogen and particulate matter concentrations around airports. The government’s Jet Zero strategy calls for domestic aviation to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and for all airports in England – other UK countries have devolved powers – to be zero-emission by the same year.

According to a decarbonisation report by the UK Airport Operators Association, over two-thirds of airports in England have a zero emissions target for 2040. However, the DfT notes from responses to its first consultation in 2021 “a mixed feedback” on the target, with comments largely around why airports should be treated differently to other similar infrastructure. Some airports suggested a net zero airport operations target may be more appropriate for 2040, rather than zero emissions. On the other hand, some NGOs, environmental groups and consultancies considered the target could be more ambitious and include Scope 3 indirect emissions that an airport does not control but can influence.

The DfT subsequently commissioned Mott MacDonald to undertake a technical feasibility study to support its understanding of the achievability of the 2040 target. The study’s report, published last May, agreed that it was feasible from a technology and commercial perspective for airports to achieve zero carbon emissions from Scope 1, 2 and 3 airport operations by 2040.

The aim of the second consultation, which closes on May 2, is to clearly define which airport operations are and are not in scope, considering the emission sources and responsible entities. The government is also looking at several policy implementation options to achieve the target: a legislative requirement, a voluntary agreement or a commitment by each airport to produce a roadmap to achieve zero emissions by 2040.

“A key aim will be to guarantee that any approach ensures that the optimum outcome is achieved in terms of emissions reductions under the target, while ensuring unnecessary burden on airport operators and other stakeholders is avoided,” says the DfT.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Birmingham Airport has entered a long-term partnership with hydrogen-electric aviation pioneer ZeroAvia that will aim to make possible regular domestic zero-emission flights “in the coming years”. The airport plans to use an area near to its disused terminal building as a potential location for hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, testing and operations.

ZeroAvia is currently working on bringing to market a zero-emission system capable of flying 20-seat aircraft 300 nautical miles by 2025, making possible green air travel from Birmingham to destinations like Glasgow, Aberdeen, Belfast and Dublin. It is aiming for an emissions-free, 80-seat aircraft flying up to 1,000 nautical miles by 2027, bringing into range Mediterranean holiday destinations.

The airport said the partnership formed an important part of its journey to becoming a net zero airport by 2033, a target it set out in its carbon roadmap published in 2022.

“Birmingham Airport can be a central spoke in a green flight network in the UK, given that any domestic mainland destination will be reachable from the airport using our first systems in 2025,” said Arnab Chatterjee, VP Infrastructure, ZeroAvia. “Given the commitments of the Jet Zero strategy on domestic aviation, it is fantastic to engage with forward thinking airports that want to be early innovators and developers to deliver the vision of bringing truly clean, quiet and pollution-free flights to the UK.”

Responded the airport’s Chief Finance & Sustainability Officer, Simon Richards: “We could, quite conceivably, see the first hydrogen-powered domestic passenger flight taking off from BHX in a few years. That’s mind-blowing.”

Photo: Heathrow Airport

Christopher Surgenor

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Representing nearly 2,000 airports in 183 countries, trade body ACI World and its five ACI regions have set a global commitment to reach net zero emissions under the direct control of airport operators. ACI said airports were an integral part of the response to climate change, recognising that each airport, country and region was different, and the long-term aspirational goal was intended to be adopted by individual airports in accordance with local conditions to a timeline towards net zero by 2050 “that works for them”. To reach the target, airports could not do it alone, said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira, and they needed to work closely with the wider aviation community and count on the support of governments and key stakeholders. The long-term goal was agreed after a feasibility study conducted by ACI World with consultants ICF and Airbiz. A net zero by 2050 goal has already been committed to by 238 airports in Europe, with 91 airports pledging to achieve net zero by 2030.

“The aviation industry’s permission to operate and grow will only be granted when the communities we serve are an integral part of the work that airports, the wider aviation community and governments are doing, together with proactive climate action which is even more critical in the recovery efforts from the pandemic,” said de Oliveira, launching the net zero goal.

The long-term goal is in response to the IPCC’s Special Report in 2018 and after a group of airports urged ACI and its World Governing Body (WGB) to support airports taking urgent action by establishing an ambitious carbon goal commensurate with the report’s call for drastic reductions in global carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. At a meeting in October 2019, the WGB agreed to support and commission a study, with ACI World appointing in February 2020 ICF and Airbiz to undertake it.

The purpose of the study was to:

• analyse the feasibility of a global decarbonisation by 2050 goal for ACI member airports;
• develop alongside the goal the appropriate pathway, resources and costs required to achieve it, considering regional differences and challenges faced by different airports based on size, geographic location, political circumstances and other differences; and
• identify the challenges that airports will face in different regions and make recommendations at a sectoral level as to how they might be overcome.

The study found that although Covid-19 had significant consequences for the aviation industry, including a recovery that is likely to result in an uneven resumption of airport investment, it had not derailed the commitment by most airports for lasting decarbonisation.

“The continuing and increasing focus on climate change and sustainable recovery lend further support to the value of a shared, credible and ambitious carbon goal for airports, led by ACI, as a driving force in the aviation sector,” says the study.

The goal is limited to scope 1 and scope 2 carbon emissions for which the airport operator is directly or indirectly responsible, so excludes emissions from aircraft operations, and is aspirational.

“It is not for ACI to enforce but rather will be a goal adopted by individual airports on a voluntary basis,” said the trade body. “ACI, in consultation with its regions and global membership, will review and update the goal every five years, to reflect latest policy, regulatory shifts, technology advancements, market conditions and scientific evidence, as well as public and stakeholder experience and expectations.”

In accounting for regional differences, the study acknowledges various roadmaps will be required to accommodate the diversity of the global airport membership, which are at different levels of carbon management maturity with different challenges, drivers and opportunities.

“The sectoral goal supports the faster and more ambitious goals already adopted by some members, while also reflecting that for some airports, meeting the net zero goal will prove challenging,” finds the study.

Kata Cserep, Global Managing Director for Aviation at ICF, told a webinar hosted by ACI World to launch the long-term goal: “It’s important to stress that it’s a common global goal but not the same goal for every airport. Our research and engagement with airports show very different journeys being experienced. There are airports who are already close to achieving net zero today but for numerous others, the decarbonisation journey has only just begun.”

In line with the IPCC reference point, the study established a 2010 baseline of 18.6 million tonnes of CO2e (Mt CO2e) emissions attributable to the global airport sector, with 10.3% of emissions from scope 1 sources and 89.7% from scope 2. Between 2010 and 2019, the absolute level of scope 1 and scope 2 emissions decreased slightly to 18.4 Mt CO2e, despite significant traffic growth. With activity expected to increase again post-Covid, if no further action is taken by airports, scope 1 and 2 emissions are forecast to rise to 24.9 Mt CO2e by 2050 on a business as usual (BAU) projection. Despite the impact of the pandemic, global airport traffic will continue to increase and is predicted to reach over 20 billion passengers by 2050. This is an activity increase of 150% with an expected emissions increase of 33%, but although this represents further decoupling of traffic and emissions growth, it still falls significantly short of the IPCC’s recommended 1.5 degree global warming mid-century limit, suggests the study.

The greatest source of carbon emissions for most airports is from purchased electricity generated off-site and reducing the carbon intensity of the electricity grid is outside the direct control of the airport operators. For other sources, the availability of finance, supportive business models and mature technological solutions will be required, it says.

It has come up with three emission reduction pathways, translated into interim reduction milestones for 2030, 2040 and 2050. A range of scenarios are defined through emission reduction measures (see figure below) and grid decarbonisation scenarios were developed bottom-up to compare to these outcome-driven emissions reduction pathways and test the technical feasibility of each pathway. No scope is allowed for carbon offsetting in the study and if emissions cannot be reduced to zero then only absolute reductions, or removals, through negative emissions technology are permitted by 2050, said Cserep.

To achieve the net zero goal will require shared policies and collaboration with industry, government and other stakeholders, and the study’s authors recommend seven actions and next steps for ACI to consider implementing:

• Adopt common goals amongst ACI member airports and reassess their feasibility periodically;
• Establish a voluntary mentorship programme;
• Develop an engagement strategy and toolkit;
• Develop a voluntary Airports Action Plan;
• Organise a biennial low carbon airport symposium;
• Support cost-benefit analysis studies to incentivise innovative business solutions; and
• Establish a global sustainable airports roundtable.

Governments and other stakeholders should play their part by:

• Supporting global grid decarbonisation;
• Supporting renewable energy transitions and the development of viable business cases and partnerships for decarbonisation measures;
• Supporting the development of negative emissions technologies commercial development as a gap filler; and
• Incentivising and facilitating airports’ access to green finance.

“The sustainability of the whole aviation sector is crucial for the present and future of the industry, it is our passport for a return to growth, and the industry has invested billions in measures and practices which have made significant progress in reducing its environmental impact,” said de Oliveira. “Through a combination of new technology, operational efficiencies and infrastructure improvements, more than 10 billion tonnes of CO2 have been averted by the industry since 1990, but we must build on this and accelerate our collective efforts to decarbonise.

“Airports cannot do this alone, however, and this is just the first step. If they are to realise this ambitious target, they must work closely with the wider aviation community and count on the support of governments and key stakeholders to address, minimise and mitigate the environmental impacts of continued aviation growth over the long term.”

Added Ken Conway, Head of Environment and Sustainability at Airbiz: “The cost of delaying action or doing nothing could be extremely high and what we want to avoid is the imposition of more aggressive carbon pricing initiatives, restrictive regulations and possible limits to growth. We have a unique opportunity to show we can really lead in the global response to climate change and join a growing community of states and other industries that have also taken similar steps. By aligning our net zero carbon goal to a pathway that is compatible with the Paris Agreement and the latest science, and by embracing all the opportunities to decarbonise the sector, we stand to benefit at all levels and continue to be seen to play a very important role in limiting a rise in global temperatures.”

Top image: ACI World

Webinar on ACI World’s global long-term carbon goal for airports:

Ahead of the G7 Summit this week, Heathrow Airport has become the first major UK airport to incorporate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into its main fuel supply system by taking delivery of a batch of HEFA-blended fuel produced by Neste and supplied by Vitol Aviation. The amount supplied is only equivalent to powering between five and 10 short-haul flights but the airport said it aimed to serve as proof of concept to enable much greater use of SAF in the future. Heathrow is calling on the UK government to set escalating mandates requiring a minimum of 10% SAF use by airlines by 2030, increasing to at least 50% by 2050. It notes that 58% of Heathrow airlines by air traffic movements have already committed to 10% SAF usage by 2030. Eurocontrol estimates that during pre-pandemic 2019, just 39 of 1,657 European airports accounted for 80% of conventional fuel used by departing aircraft and suggests it would be more efficient to concentrate SAF supply on these 39 airports.

Commenting on Heathrow’s first incorporation of SAF into its operation, Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye said: “As we get ready to welcome the G7, we can demonstrate how this technology can significantly cut carbon from aviation, whilst protecting its benefits. The UK government now has an opportunity to create a new British growth industry by backing SAF production and also be leaders in the race to a net zero 2050.”

The Neste MY SAF supplied to Heathrow was produced from sustainable waste and raw materials such as used cooking oil and animal and fish fat waste, with a claimed lifecycle GHG emissions reduction of up to 80% compared to fossil jet fuel.

“We are pleased that Vitol are enabling Neste MY SAF to be used at Heathrow, one of the leading global hub airports,” said Jonathan Wood, Neste VP Europe for Renewable Aviation. “We are also proud to play a role in lower-emission travel to the G7 conference, where sustainability will be one of the key topics.”

Added Vitol Aviation’s Leticia Hachuel: “We are delighted to be the first to deliver SAF to Heathrow. Whilst this is a proof of concept, the need to realise lower-emission options for flying is critical and we are looking at how we can use our expertise to offer more sustainable options.”

The airport, which has set an objective to become one of the most sustainable airports in the world, said SAF was the key tool in the decarbonisation of aviation and with the UK hosting COP26 in Glasgow later this year, it was time for government, investors and industry to collaborate in scaling up the use of SAF to ensure real momentum this decade.

“Now is the time for less talk and more action, and government ministers should set an escalating mandate to blend SAF into fuel and stable incentives over five to 10 years to foster investment in production,” said Holland-Kaye.

A briefing by Eurocontrol says at only 0.05% of total jet fuel consumption pre-Covid, the use of SAF remains very low in Europe but if a 10% target by 2030 could be achieved, CO2 emissions from EU departing flights could be reduced by 8%. Besides the need to stimulate SAF uptake, it points out another crucial issue is the logistics of getting fuel to airports. Before the Heathrow announcement, only seven of the 39 major EU airports – Frankfurt, Paris CDG, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Stockholm-Arlanda, Hamburg and Munich – have started to supply SAF, finds Eurocontrol. Providing a 12.5% SAF blend to these 39 airports would achieve the same 8% reduction in CO2 emissions from flights departing the EU, it argues.

However, with SAF currently more than twice as expensive as fossil jet fuel, the use of 12.5% SAF in the mix would lead to a corresponding increase in fuel costs for airlines and tempting some to increase their use of economic tankering to avoid paying the SAF premium. Tankering has the effect of increasing the weight of the aircraft because of the extra fuel uplifted, and therefore CO2 emissions. Eurocontrol also suggests the increase in SAF costs would also reduce the competitiveness of airlines operating from the EU and it may therefore require re-balancing policy measures.

Photo: Heathrow Airport