The first transatlantic flight of a commercial airliner to be fully powered by sustainable aviation fuel was conducted today by a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 on a journey from London Heathrow to New York JFK. The 88% HEFA fuel made from waste fats and supplied by Air bp was blended with 12% synthetic aromatic kerosene (SAK) supplied by US company Virent. Flight100 is the culmination of a one-year collaboration led by Virgin Atlantic involving ICF, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Imperial College London, University of Sheffield, Boeing and Rolls-Royce, in partnership with the UK Department for Transport (DfT). As well as proving the capabilities of 100% SAF, the flight’s non-carbon emissions will be assessed to improve scientific understanding of the effects of SAF on contrails and particulates. The DfT supported the flight with £1 million of funding and has recently awarded nine projects a combined £53 million ($67m) in a second round competition to help scale up the UK SAF production industry.

On board Flight100, which required a specific permit from the UK CAA since commercial flights are certified only to fly with a maximum 50% SAF blend,  was Transport Secretary Mark Harper. “Today’s historic flight shows how we can both decarbonise transport and enable passengers to keep flying when and where they want. This government has backed today’s flight to take-off and we will continue to support the UK’s emerging SAF industry as it creates jobs, grows the economy and gets us to Jet Zero.”

He was accompanied by Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Executive, Shai Weiss, and the airline’s founder, Sir Richard Branson.

Branson was involved in the first-ever biofuels flight of a commercial airliner in February 2008 when a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 flew from Heathrow to Amsterdam with one of its four engines partly powered by a fuel made from babassu nuts and coconuts. Nearly 10 years later, the airline made a transatlantic flight using fuel made from waste gases that was supplied by LanzaTech.

Commenting on today’s flight, Branson said: “The world will always assume something can’t be done, until you do it. The spirit of innovation is getting out there and trying to prove that we can do things better for everyone’s benefit.

“Virgin Atlantic has been challenging the status quo and pushing the aviation industry to never settle and do better since 1984. Fast forward nearly 40 years, that pioneering spirit continues to be Virgin Atlantic’s beating heart as it pushes the boundaries from carbon fibre aircraft and fleet upgrades to sustainable fuels.”

Weiss said the flight proved SAF was a safe, drop-in replacement for fossil-derived fuel and the only viable solution for decarbonising long-haul aviation. “It’s taken radical collaboration to get here and we’re proud to have reached this important milestone, but we need to push further,” he said.

The main feedstock for the HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) SAF supplied for the flight was tallow, a by-product of the meat rendering process and unsuitable for animal or human consumption. The SAK was made from plant sugars, with the remainder of plant proteins, oils and fibres continuing into the food chain.

Following the flight, a full end-to-end lifecycle analysis will be undertaken, accounting for the emissions reduction associated with the use of SAF and the fuel optimisation activities being deployed. Any residual emissions are being mitigated with the use of carbon removals, specifically biochar credits – a material that traps and stores carbon taken from the atmosphere.

Research on the non-CO2 emissions from the flight will help to implement contrail forecasts in the flight planning process, said Virgin Atlantic, adding the data and outcomes will be shared with industry and that the airline would continue its involvement with contrail work through RMI’s Climate Impact Task Force, which is part-funded by Virgin Unite.

Sheila Remes, VP Environmental Sustainability at Boeing, said the flight was another milestone for the two partners following on from the biofuel test flight in 2008 and was a key step in Boeing’s commitment to deliver 100% SAF-compatible flights by 2030.

Simon Burr, Group Director of Engineering, Technology & Safety, Rolls-Royce, whose Trent 1000 engines powered today’s 787 Dreamliner flight, reported the OEM had recently completed compatibility testing of 100% SAF on all its in-production civil aero engine types. “This [flight] is further proof that there are no engine technology barriers to the use of 100% SAF,” he said.

Federica Berra, SVP of Air bp, said: “Collaboration with industry partners is vital to successfully scale SAF, as is long-term policy support to foster supply and demand. Our expert team has worked for months in preparation for this flight, drawing upon their deep knowledge and skills in fuel handling, blending and logistics to ensure product quality and safety standards have been met.”

The flight has been welcomed by others in the UK aviation industry, which is relying on SAF to achieve its net zero emissions by 2050 target. “This is an exciting milestone on the journey towards aviation’s net-zero future. To ensure we achieve this shared goal, the right government policy and price support needs to be in place to see the scalability of affordable SAF to airlines; alongside the investment in and infrastructure for zero and low-emission aviation technologies like hydrogen,” said a statement by cross-sector group Sustainable Aviation.

Jonathon Counsell, Group Head of Sustainability at International Airlines Group and Chair of the UK Jet Zero Council’s SAF Delivery Group, commented: “The test flights flown prove that the aviation industry is technically ready to make the switch to SAF but what we need now is action from governments to incentivise investment and get plants into construction. And that needs to happen quickly as the UK government has committed to five plants in construction by 2025, so time is of the essence.”

The UK DfT’s Advanced Fuels Fund competition is making available around £135 million ($170m) in total for the development of SAF production plants in the UK. Winners in the first window announced last December included Alfanar Energy (Lighthouse Green Fuels project), Fulcrum BioEnergy (NorthPoint), LanzaTech UK (DRAGON) and Velocys (Altalto and e-Alto).

Winning proposals for the second window were announced this month, with funding going to nine projects. Alfanar received a second award for activity not covered by their first window award, otherwise the awards in the second round went to new projects including Abundia Biomass-to-Liquids (A-Jet UK), Arcadia e-Fuels (NABOO), Carbon Neutral Fuels (ASAP-DAC), Esso Petroleum (Solent SAF), Nova Pangaea Technologies (Project Speedbird, which is backed by British Airways), OXCCU Tech (OXEFUEL BIOGENIC), Willis Sustainable Fuels (Carbonshift PtL) and Zero Petroleum (PMZ.2).

The DfT said the fund would help deliver the upcoming UK SAF mandate that will require at least 10% of jet fuel to come from sustainable feedstocks by 2030, which it estimates would save the industry up to 2.7 million tonnes of CO2e annually.

While in the United States, Transport Secretary Harper will co-chair a SAF Investor Summit in New York.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 is fuelled at Heathrow with the 100% SAF supplied by Air bp before Flight100 to New York JFK

Christopher Surgenor

Editor

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International aviation fuel company Air bp has announced the first sale of International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) EU sustainable aviation fuel from bp’s Castellon refinery in Spain. LATAM Cargo Chile used the fuel on a flight from Zaragoza to North America and partners in the initiative included Spanish airport operator Aena and fuel logistics company Exolum. ISCC EU is recognised by the European Commission to demonstrate compliance with legal requirements of the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). ISCC has two other certification systems relevant to the supply of SAF – ISCC PLUS and ISCC CORSIA – and in 2021, NetJets Europe became the first customer to purchase Air bp’s ISCC PLUS certified SAF from the Castellon refinery. The ISCC EU SAF was made from waste-based sustainable feedstock and co-processed together with fossil fuel. Co-processing has a blending limit of up to 5% within the jet fuel specification and bp has launched an industry taskforce looking to increase this to 30%.

Despite the low blend limit, co-processing can be used to produce SAF in existing refineries with relatively minor technical modifications and does not require the high financial investment and length of time to build a new standalone production facility.

“This latest announcement marks another important milestone for Air bp as we work towards making SAF more available. As a key step in replacing fossil fuel with renewable feedstock within existing refineries, co-processing has an integral role to play in scaling up SAF production in the most economical and efficient way,” said Andreea Moyes, Air bp’s Global Sustainability Director. “We believe that all technologies and pathways, and both standalone and co-processing, are needed to help the industry decarbonise and reach its goal of net zero by 2050. The supply of ISCC EU SAF from Castellon will open new opportunities throughout the country and beyond.”

In March 2022, the bp refinery in Lingen became the first industrial production facility in Germany to use co-processing to produce SAF from used cooking oil.

The oil giant said it aims to increase SAF production further in future and has just announced that as part of the Hydrogen Cluster of the Valencia Region (HyVal), its production of biofuels, including SAF, is expected to increase three-fold, to 650,000 tonnes a year by 2030 in Castellon. Green hydrogen will be used as a feedstock for the production of SAF in an independent unit, added bp.

Commenting on the flight from Spain to North America, Andrés Bianchi, CEO of LATAM Cargo said: “It represents one of most concrete steps in our SAF fuel agenda. As a group, LATAM is committed to contributing to the protection and care of the environment, so this first fuelling reflects the importance of the collaboration of all players in the logistics chain, including Aena and Exolum.”

In June 2022, Madrid-based Exolum obtained ISCC PLUS and ISCC CORSIA certifications that guarantee compliance with high sustainability standards in biomass production, traceability of its origin and the potential saving of greenhouse gases. ISCC CORSIA certification ensures SAF complies with the sustainability criteria established by ICAO for fuels eligible under its Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). ISCC PLUS is a voluntary certification system for all markets and sectors not regulated by CORSIA and RED II.

The recognition of ISCC EU by the European Commission demonstrates that consignments of biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel, recycled carbon fuel and renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuel of non-biological origin comply with the respective legal requirements specified in RED II.

Exolum’s ISCC SAF certifications underpin its Avikor platform that enables airline passengers, whether corporate or individuals, to contribute to the reduction of CO2 on their flights from either Madrid Barajas or Barcelona El Prat airports through the purchase of SAF. Airline partner  Vueling has committed to matching the contributions of its customers using the scheme. Spanish instant mobile payment service Bizum, which has over 21 million users, partnered with Avikor last September to decarbonise its business trips.

Top photo (bp Plc): The bp Castellon refinery

Bottom photo: Air bp, bp and LATAM Cargo representatives mark sale of ISCC EU SAF

Christopher Surgenor

Editor

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Australia’s Qantas Group, which includes Qantas Airways and its low-cost sibling Jetstar, has unveiled a four-pillar strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, targeting a 25% cut in carbon emissions by 2030, based on 2019 levels. The Qantas Group Climate Action Plan is focused on the use of sustainable aviation fuels, fuel efficiency initiatives, waste reduction and an expanded offsets programme concentrated on projects in Australia. Headlining the strategy is a commitment to use a 10% blend of SAF across the group by 2030, ramping to 60% by 2050, in addition to an average annual fuel efficiency target of 1.5% through fleet renewal and operational efficiencies in the air and on the ground. The company has also pledged to eliminate single-use plastics by 2027 and to cease sending general waste to landfill by 2030. The Qantas plan comes just days after a new report by the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Alliance of Australia and New Zealand (SAFAANZ) that urged the formation of a Jet Council to help shape and expedite the establishment of an Australian SAF industry, reports Tony Harrington.

“Aviation is a crucial industry, especially in a country the size of Australia,” commented Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce on the publication of the group’s new Climate Action Plan. “Having a clear plan to decarbonise Qantas and Jetstar so we can keep delivering these services in the decades ahead is absolutely key to our future. We’ve had a zero net emissions goal for several years, so today’s interim targets are about accelerating our progress and cutting emissions as quickly as technology allows. Hydrogen or electric-powered aircraft are several decades away, particularly for the length of most [of our] flights, so our plan is focused on the technology that is within reach today.

“One benefit of setting these targets now is sending a clear signal that we’re in the market for large volumes of sustainable aviation fuel, for carbon offset projects and for products that can be recycled. That will hopefully encourage more investment and build more momentum for the industry as a whole.”

The Qantas Group has already committed an initial A$50 million ($37m) towards the creation of a SAF industry in Australia and has partnered with Air bp to explore ways of doing so. Since early this year, SAF has comprised 15% of the fuel used by Qantas on its flights from London’s Heathrow Airport, both nonstop to Australia, and increasingly to Singapore. As well, the company signed a second major agreement with US biofuels company Aemetis in March to acquire almost 20 million litres of SAF per year from 2025 to help power its flights from airports in California – it currently serves Los Angeles and San Francisco – and has revealed that negotiations are underway to secure SAF in other offshore markets. It has also intensified its advocacy for a home-based SAF industry, urging “all levels of government to lend support to ensure Australia manufactures the biofuel like the UK, US and Europe already are.”

To further help reduce its emissions, Qantas recently announced plans to acquire up to 134 Airbus A320neo and A220-family jets to replace, over a 10-year period, its current fleet of narrowbody Boeing 737-800 and 717 twinjets. The airline expects to finalise a firm order for the first group of new Airbus jets by mid-2022, to reduce fuel burn by an estimated 20%, while the low-cost Jetstar will take delivery of the first of 18 Airbus A321LR aircraft in July. As well, Qantas International is progressively introducing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in place of its now-retired Boeing 747-400s, has reduced its fleet of Airbus A380s and, as part of ‘Project Sunrise’ plans to fly nonstop services from eastern Australia to London and New York, and has flagged an order for ultra-long-range and fuel-efficient Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. On the ground too, the company is aiming for further efficiencies including the electrification of vehicles where possible and, from this year, the use of 100% renewable electricity to power all Qantas Group buildings in Australia.

Recognising the interim requirement to use offset programmes to achieve carbon reduction targets, Qantas has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) and the Japanese oil and gas exploration company Inpex Corporation to evaluate a project in Western Australia which would combine carbon farming and renewable biofuels in the Wheatbelt region, an area of equivalent size to Belgium. The project will rely upon collaboration between the three companies, landowners and rural communities.

“It provides an opportunity to support reforestation and decarbonisation using drought-resilient native tree crops, integrated with existing farming systems,” said the airline. “Having completed an extensive initial assessment of the carbon farming project, the parties will undertake a more detailed feasibility study into the harvesting and processing of native biomass crops and selected agricultural waste residues to produce low-carbon renewable biofuels. Under the MoU, the first planting of native trees is expected to take place in the [southern hemisphere] winter of 2023.”

Qantas Group Chairman Richard Goyder added: “It’s exciting to see technological advances overseas, particularly in the development of sustainable aviation fuel. Australia already produces significant amounts of feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel, but exports it to other countries. In the future, these feedstocks could be used to build a domestic industry, creating jobs and fuel security here in Australia. It’s not just a huge opportunity, it is the right thing to do. Achieving net zero emissions targets will not be easy and it will take sustained and cooperative action by everyone at the Qantas Group, as well as the entire global aviation value chain, governments and investors. Supportive government policy is critical for the aviation industry to transition to low and zero-emissions technologies.”        

Goyder’s remarks echoed those of the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Alliance of Australia and New Zealand (SAFAANZ), an advocacy group which has just released a report titled ‘Bridging The Price Gap For Sustainable Aviation Fuel’ to support the urgent creation of a SAF industry in Australia.

The report recommends an initial SAF blending mandate of 2.5% in Australia, increasing to 3% by 2030. A 2.5% requirement would require approximately 235 million litres of SAF to be integrated into the aviation fuel supply chain. This volume would be sufficient to warrant the construction of at least one SAF refinery in Australia, adds the report.

“Following the lead of the UK and its Jet Zero Council, Australia should immediately establish a Jet Council to connect the state and federal governments with aviation industry stakeholders to guide the ongoing development of sustainable aviation policies,” said Shahana McKenzie, CEO of industry group Bioenergy Australia, which established the SAFAANZ to highlight and push for local SAF production in both Australia and New Zealand, the latter having recently flagged plans to introduce a SAF blending mandate.

The group has 22 members from the aviation and energy sectors, among them Qantas, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia – the three largest airlines in the Australasian market – plus the region’s largest airport, Sydney Kingsford-Smith, the new Western Sydney Airport, which is due to open in 2026, and Boeing. Other members include major waste-to-fuels producer Neste and SAF specialists LanzaJet, World Fuel Services and Gevo.

“Robust policy frameworks and financial mechanisms are needed to unlock Australia’s SAF industry potential,” says the report, and recommended capital support and production subsidies, a national framework for voluntary purchasing by consumers and an emissions intensity scheme.

“As a priority,” said McKenzie, “the Jet Council would work with the various levels of government, along with key industry participants, to guide and support pathways for SAF research and development in Australia, as well as guide the design and implementation of policies to overcome existing barriers to SAF development.”

The SAF report has landed as the Australian government – globally criticised during Glasgow’s COP26 summit as a climate action laggard – prepares for a general election, in which the impact of climate change and the need to accelerate decarbonisation are expected to be key issues following recent catastrophic floods and bushfires. The report highlighted the Australian Bioenergy Roadmap, released late last year by the federal government, which identified the significant environmental benefits of SAF use and economic growth from SAF production. “The Bioenergy Roadmap showed that Australia could be producing 18% of the country’s aviation fuel market by 2030 if a favourable policy and market environment existed,” said SAFAANZ Chair Heidi Hauf, who is also Boeing’s Regional Sustainability Lead for Asia-Pacific.

“Australia could be the SAF capital of the Asia-Pacific region, if we act now,” added McKenzie. “Beyond emissions reduction, this initiative supports jobs in regional Australia, economic development and fuel security.”

Photo: Refuelling Qantas Boeing 787 Dreamliner

The demand for SAF is high but supply remains limited as facilities are still under construction, and production in many cases is years away. But since last year, several oil companies have started producing SAF through co-processing, which is giving SAF supply a boost. In July 2021, NetJets Europe became the first customer to purchase Air bp’s ISCC PLUS certified SAF produced through co-processing of waste fats and used cooking oil in bp’s Castellon refinery in Spain. Other oil companies have followed in rapid succession to announce SAF production through co-processing, including Phillips 66 (UK), TotalEnergies (France), OMV (Austria), Eni (Italy) and bp (Germany). Phillips 66 has just supplied British Airways with a first batch of SAF produced at its Humber Refinery in the UK under a multi-year agreement. Why are the big oil companies choosing this route? Susan van Dyk takes an in-depth look at co-processing, what it means, who is doing it and what volumes of SAF are produced this way.

Andreea Moyes, Air bp’s Global Aviation Sustainability Director, explains her company’s rationale for co-processing: “As an integrated energy company, our ambition is to be a net-zero company by 2050 or sooner and to help the world get to net zero. Part of this is cutting the carbon intensity of the products we sell, such as jet fuel. We believe that all technologies and pathways, including co-processing, are needed to help the industry decarbonise.”

Co-processing is the simultaneous processing of biobased material, such as fats, oils and other feedstocks, with fossil-based feeds in refinery infrastructure. Using an existing refinery can offer benefits in terms of cost savings and carbon reduction as it removes the need to build dedicated processing units. The high market demand for SAF is playing a role in refinery decisions to co-process.

Explained Fabian Wedam, Head of Aviation at OMV Group: “Market demand for sustainable products is increasing sharply in the short to mid term and large scale dedicated SAF production units require a significant lead time for construction.” Co-processing is a stepping stone since existing assets can be used and only limited investments are needed, he said. Co-processing allows OMV to access the growing market for sustainable products in the short term using existing assets and infrastructure in OMV’s refineries. Last December, OMV signed an agreement to supply Austrian Airlines with 1,500 tonnes of SAF produced at its Schwechat Refinery during 2022.

Oil companies have the resources and expertise to produce SAF through co-processing using existing refinery infrastructure and limited investment. “Utilising the existing refinery infrastructure and their links to existing supply networks play an important role in increasing the supply of SAF,” said Moyes. The bp refinery in Lingen has started production of SAF from used cooking oil, marking the first industrial production facility in Germany using co-processing to produce SAF from waste and residues.

Co-processing enables an oil company to quickly become relevant in a net-zero world. According to Bernardo Fallas, Director of Corporate Communications at Phillips 66, “co-processing is one of the ways the Humber Refinery is positioning itself as a refinery of the future.” Phillips 66 believes markets for lower-carbon products are growing, he said. The agreement with British Airways demonstrates its Humber Refinery’s ability to supply them. The airline has just announced it has taken delivery of the first batch of SAF produced by the refinery, which it says is the first commercial-scale SAF to be supplied in the UK (see article). The blended fuel will be supplied by pipeline to several UK airports, including London Heathrow.

“We were the first in the UK to co-process waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale,” said Darren Cunningham, Lead Executive UK and General Manager for Phillips 66’s Humber Refinery. “We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start.”

Fallas added the Humber Refinery recently increased renewable fuel produced through co-processing from 1,000 bpd to 3,000 bpd, and the refinery aims to expand renewable fuels capacity to 5,000 bpd by 2024.

So what are the current volumes of SAF supplied through co-processing by others in the market? Air bp’s Moyes indicated her company has already produced more than 5,000 barrels per day (bpd) of biofuels (approximately 200-250 million litres total volume of biofuel, although SAF is not the only product) at three refineries through co-processing and aims to triple production by 2030 across these sites. According to Wedam, the planned production of SAF by the OMV Group for 2022 will be 2,000 tonnes, or about 2.3 million litres, of co-processed SAF.

The potential volumes of SAF that a refinery can produce through co-processing is currently limited by ASTM D1655. The standard only permits co-processing of 5% vegetable oils or waste oils and fats, and Fischer-Tropsch synthetic liquids for SAF production. Although 5% may seem a small amount, it could still be considerable if the scale of refinery operations is considered. Bp’s Castellon and Lingen refineries each have a capacity of about 100,000 barrels per day, so 5% amounts to 5,000 bpd (about 200-250 million litres per year).

However, indicated Steve Csonka, Executive Director of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) in the US, the 5% “current maximum co-processing volumetric limits are being assessed by a standing ASTM Task Force for possible increase, with broader voting to be accomplished upon the Task Force’s completion in the coming months.”

Moyes confirmed: “Air bp is leading the Task Force seeking to increase the sustainable aviation fuel content of traditional jet available from refineries co-processing renewable feedstocks. The hope is to raise the limit from 5% to 30% to benefit customers and global supply.” Increasing the feedstock limits for co-processing are likely to have a significant impact on the volumes of SAF that could be supplied via this route.

SAF produced through co-processing can be certified as sustainable and is also recognised under CORSIA as an eligible fuel. According to Air bp, the SAF produced through co-processing and supplied to Netjets received ISCC PLUS certification. The SAF had an attributed saving of around 80% carbon emissions over its lifecycle compared with conventional jet fuel based on a mass balance approach. It should be noted that this value is only calculated based on the renewable content in the finished fuel. ISCC has developed a guidance document on the certification of co-processing to assist companies. Various methods or a mixture of methods are permitted to calculate the bio-yield, including radiocarbon 14 analysis, to ensure that only the renewable content is counted.

All the co-processing activities mentioned used fats and oils feedstocks, in most cases waste fats and used cooking oils (UCO). The types of feedstock are currently restricted under ASTM D1655 and limited to fats and oils, and Fischer-Tropsch synthetic liquids. FT syncrude is not currently used in co-processing as it is not commercially available at this time. Other feedstocks may be permitted in future if ASTM certification is achieved, usually a very rigorous process.

“Feedstock availability, as well as reliability of supply and quality, will be one of the key challenges in the future,” said OMV’s Wedam. “Already today, the market for SAF-suitable feedstock is very competitive. Lipid feedstocks will not be sufficient once the aviation industry moves further towards carbon neutrality.”

Feedstock challenges

The challenge with future availability of waste oils and fats feedstock for SAF production has been confirmed in an ICF report, ‘Fueling net zero’. Renewable diesel and biodiesel compete for the same feedstock, and significant expansion of renewable diesel facilities will soon place a constraint on supply.

According to Moyes, bp recognises that “increasing feedstock availability is an important part of increasing overall SAF production and there are two elements to this. Firstly, as most commercial production today uses HEFA feedstocks, increasing these in the short-term is key. In support of this, bp recently entered into a 10-year strategic agreement with Nuseed enabling Nuseed to accelerate the expansion of its Carinata sustainable production programme.

“Secondly, bp plays an ongoing role in researching and developing the technologies required to bring the different SAF production technology options to commercial production. This widens the feedstocks that can be used. For example, bp and Johnson Matthey have developed a simple-to-operate and cost-advantaged Fischer-Tropsch technology that can operate both at large and small scale to economically convert synthesis gas, generated from sources such as municipal solid waste and other renewable biomass, into long-chain hydrocarbons suitable for the production of SAF. Using all technology options, we believe there is enough feedstock availability to meet the industry’s SAF requirements.”

Other feedstocks that have great potential for co-processing are bio-oils/biocrudes produced through technologies such as fast pyrolysis (bio-oils), catalytic pyrolysis or hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL, biocrudes). Unlike fats and oils, these biocrudes can be produced from wastes such as forest or agricultural residues that are available in far greater volumes. However, these technologies are at various stages of technology readiness.

The recently completed Pyrocell plant in Sweden, using BTG Bioliquids’ fast pyrolysis technology, has started producing bio-oil, which will be co-processed by Preem at the Lysekil refinery in Sweden to produce renewable diesel and gasoline. Note that the feedstock limitations under ASTM D1655 for SAF production do not apply to other fuel products. Preem, considered the leader in co-processing activities, has co-processed 30% tall oil methyl esters into drop-in fuels for more than a decade. Following a revamp last year, Preem’s Gothenburg refinery is currently able to co-process 95% tall oil methyl esters and tallow, according to Fredrik Hellesöy, Strategic Business Development Manager at Preem. This highlights the unlimited potential of co-processing to produce significant volumes of low-carbon intensity fuels.

Due to the current feedstock limitations under ASTM D1655, Preem is not producing SAF, but if the 5% limit is increased to 30%, SAF production will become economically feasible, said Hellesöy. For Preem, co-processing is just a step on the way to full conversion, he stated.

Co-processing can increase the supply of sustainably certified SAF in the short-term at current co-processing limits and could become more significant if these limits are increased, and other feedstocks are certified under ASTM. Using existing refinery infrastructure allows for more rapid production of SAF as construction of new facilities proceed. At the same time, it is part of the long-term business strategies of oil companies for a net-zero future.

“This strategy secures long-term business in an ever-changing world and supports the company’s commitment to a sustainable energy future,” said Fallas at Phillips 66.

Added Martin Thomsen, CEO, Air bp: “We believe SAF is one of the aviation industry’s key routes to reducing carbon emissions, and ISCC PLUS certified SAF is the first step towards developing new refining and commercial solutions, including those that achieve CORSIA certification, to keep decarbonising our offers for our aviation customers. Co-processing is an important step in replacing fossil fuel with renewable feedstocks within refineries.”

Photo: The bp refinery in Lingen, Germany (© bpPLC)

Susan van Dyk

GreenAir Correspondent

www.svdconsulting.ca

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Three significant new agreements have been announced to collectively deliver more than 1.5 billion litres of sustainable aviation fuel to seven airline operators, reports Tony Harrington. German-based freight airline DHL Express has agreed to acquire more than 800 million litres of SAF within the next five years through two agreements, one with oil company bp and the other with wastes-to-fuel producer Neste. The carrier described the combined SAF deals as one of the largest in aviation to date. In a simultaneous development, the oneworld airline alliance has announced the intention of six of its 14-member airlines to jointly acquire almost the same amount – up to 200 million gallons, or around 750 million litres – of SAF from US-based renewable fuels provider Gevo for use in key Californian airports from 2027. And in the UK, the Saudi Arabian industrial group Alfanar has announced a £1 billion ($1.3bn) investment in a new waste-to-energy project to produce up to 180 million litres of SAF per year.   

DHL Express said the bp and Neste deals would provide SAF from both suppliers until 2026, sufficient to sustainably fuel 1,000 Boeing 777 freight flights per year for 12 years, between Leipzig, Germany, and Cincinnati, USA, and cutting CO2 emissions on a lifecycle basis equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 400,000 passenger cars. Together with a previous commitment to introduce SAF to its operations in San Francisco, Amsterdam and East Midlands, UK, the latest agreements by DHL Express will exceed 50% of its target to achieve 10% SAF blending for all of its air transport by 2026.

“Using SAF is currently one of the aviation industry’s key routes to reducing CO2 emissions over the aviation fuel lifecycle with currently-available aircraft types,” said Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group, which has committed to using 30% SAF blending for all of its air transport by 2030.  DHL Express CEO John Pearson highlighted continuing concerns in the aviation industry about the global shortage of SAF. “Our key focus is to inspire more SAF suppliers to address the current supply gap,” he said. “At the same time, we are calling on policy-makers to set the right framework to accelerate market ramp-up of SAF in the EU and worldwide, including an accounting mechanism that allows flexible SAF purchases and usage.”  

Air bp SVP Martin Thomsen said the company was intensifying its partnerships with airports and airlines to help them decarbonise. “As bp transitions to an integrated energy company, we are leveraging our value chain encompassing feedstocks, global production, logistics and airport infrastructure,” he reported. “We are promoting SAF at pace to support global aviation to realise its lower carbon emissions.”

Peter Vanacker, CEO of Finland-based Neste, added: “This milestone agreement, our largest ever for SAF, underlines the growing need and urgency – as well as the commitment – to act on aviation-related emissions. SAF is a cornerstone of the aviation industry’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. It requires a joint effort across the aviation value chain with all stakeholders, using all available raw materials and solutions, to reach that goal.”

In the US, the oneworld airline alliance has announced a plan for six of its members – Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways – to collectively acquire up to 200 million gallons of SAF per year at a range of airports in California, for five years from 2027. The fuel will be sourced from Colorado-based renewable fuels producer Gevo and made from inedible corn products, processed to create ethanol, then converted to SAF. The RSB-certified fuel will be supplied to airports including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and San Jose from three new facilities under development in the US Midwest.

The Gevo deal is the second to be announced by oneworld within five months. Last November, the alliance revealed a joint commitment by most of its member airlines to purchase more than 350 million gallons (1.34 billion litres) of blended sustainable aviation fuel from another supplier, Aemetis, for uplift from San Francisco.

The Chairman of oneworld, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, said the latest deal “reaffirms the leadership of our alliance in supporting the ambitious aviation decarbonisation targets, as well as our active role in driving the use of ICAO-recognised SAF at a commercial scale.” Rob Gurney, CEO of oneworld, added: “Five months ago, we committed as an alliance to a target of 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030. A second major sustainable aviation fuel offtake among member airlines builds further upon that commitment, while demonstrating the value that can be delivered when our member airlines work together.”

Gevo said it had developed two alcohol-to-jet methods which would use a variety of feedstocks produced using sustainable farming and renewable agricultural techniques. The company said its production processes would incorporate renewable energy from sources including wind turbines, biogas and combined heat and power systems (CHP) to boost efficiency and cut carbon intensity to net zero.  “When oneworld member airlines show they understand the importance of reducing fossil-carbon greenhouse gas emissions, they start making real change in the industry,” said Gevo CEO Dr Patrick Gruber.   

In yet another development, the Saudi Arabian industrial group Alfanar is to invest £1 billion in delivering the UK’s first commercial-scale production plant for sustainable aviation fuel. The Lighthouse Green Fuels project in the Tees Valley, north-east England, is expected to produce up to 180 million litres of SAF per year from converted British domestic and commercial waste. It will do so through a waste-to-liquid process which uses gasification and Fischer-Tropsch technology to convert refuse which otherwise would be incinerated or used as landfill.

The project follows a £2.4 million award to Alfanar last year as part of the UK government’s ‘Green Fuels, Green Skies’ competition to support domestic SAF production. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Alfanar investment during a visit to the Arabian Gulf, where he met with the leaders of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss increased oil procurement to replace supplies previously sourced from Russia.

The Lighthouse Green Fuels project also complements the establishment in Teesside of the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Hub, a partnership with Teesside University to create an innovation centre focused on clean energy research, development and testing for all modes of transport. Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said the Saudi SAF development, in addition to creating 700 construction jobs and another 240 positions once the plant was operational, “further cements our region as the global go-to place to develop ground-breaking green energy technology.”

It is also aligned with the region’s ambitions for Teesside Airport to become “the UK’s first hydrogen-ready airport, and an early adopter of these sustainable aviation fuels,” he said. A hydrogen refuelling station has already been established at the airport as part of a trial across the region, and a number of organisations are testing hydrogen-powered commercial and support vehicles, with more to be introduced.

Image: DHL Express

Asia-Pacific neighbours Qantas and Air New Zealand have announced significant new decarbonisation initiatives, both of them heavily reliant on sustainable aviation fuel and both advocating establishment of local SAF production, reports Tony Harrington. Qantas will purchase up to 30 million litres of blended SAF from bp for flights from London Heathrow Airport over a three-year period commencing early in 2022. The Australian airline has committed to buy an initial 10 million litres from early next year and has options to take the same volumes in 2023 and 2024 as part of a strategic partnership with the oil company. Air New Zealand has committed that by 2030, SAF will represent 10% of its total fuel uplift. It has also announced plans to set a new, science-based carbon reduction target, which requires an absolute reduction in emissions without reliance on carbon offsets. The carrier has also detailed a fleet renewal plan which promises a switch to electric of hydrogen propulsion for its regional flights by 2030.

Qantas is reinstating scheduled flights to London, following the Australian government’s recent decision to ease international border restrictions and increasing relaxation by state and territory governments of caps on international passenger arrivals. It will operate nonstop flights between London and Australia with Boeing 787-9 aircraft, and one-stop services from Heathrow to Australia via Singapore with Airbus A380s, which are now being recalled from storage. The SAF to be used by Qantas on these flights will be produced with certified bio feedstock from used cooking oil and, or, other waste products, and mixed with conventional jet fuel, representing about 15% of the airline’s total annual fuel uplift out of Heathrow, and cutting its flight carbon emissions by around 10%.

The airline is also actively discussing similar deals at other major international destinations, specifically referencing Los Angeles. SAF is not yet available in Australia, but Qantas said there was a strong case for local production, for which it intends to be the biggest customer.

“We know that climate change is incredibly important for our customers, employees and investors, and it is a major focus for the national carrier as we come out of a difficult couple of years,” said Andrew Parker, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Qantas Group. He said the use of sustainable aviation fuel was essential for the airline to meet its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and an interim target for 2030, for which a package of initiatives will be announced in the first half of 2022.

High among these will be confirmation of orders and purchase rights for up to 134 new Airbus A320neo and A220 family twinjets, which the airline has just nominated as its choice of replacement for its ageing fleet of Boeing 737-800s and Boeing 717s. Beginning with firm orders for 20 A321XLR and 20 A220-300 aircraft, with deliveries commencing in 2024, the deal will deliver fuel savings of 15-20% over the current domestic jet fleet, and commensurate reductions in emissions. Discussions with manufacturers also focused on the ability of the new jets to use sustainable aviation fuel as quickly as possible.

“Zero emission technology like electric aircraft or green hydrogen are still a very long way off for aviation, and even further away for long-haul flights like London to Australia,” said Parker. “SAF and high-quality carbon offsetting are therefore critical on the path to net zero. Aviation biofuels typically deliver around an 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle basis compared to the jet fuel it is replacing and is the most significant tool airlines have to reduce their impact on the environment.” He reiterated the industry’s estimate that SAF will account for 65% of the decarbonisation measures needed for aviation to reach net zero 2050.

“The technology is already tried and tested and it can be used in the aircraft we have now,” stated Parker, “which is why government and industry overseas are investing heavily to build their own SAF industries. Given the importance of aviation to Australia, and the distances we travel, there’s a huge opportunity to build a local SAF industry here. The Qantas Group would be its biggest customer, and we’ve already committed AUD$50 million ($35m) in seed funding, but it’s going to take a concerted effort from industry and government to make this happen.”

Qantas is also one of nine oneworld alliance members which recently agreed collectively to introduce SAF on their flights from San Francisco, for a period of up to seven years, commencing in 2024. Although Qantas and its low-cost sibling Jetstar have operated demonstration flights using SAF, the BP deal at Heathrow is the first ongoing commitment by an Australian airline to use SAF on scheduled services. The airline said such volume deals were crucial to helping bring down the cost of SAF, currently around three times the price of conventional fossil fuels.

Martin Thomsen, Senior Vice President, Air bp, said the company aspired to become a leading supplier of sustainable aviation fuel. “We are committed to working with customers to scale up its use,” he added. “We believe it is one of the key routes to reducing carbon emissions in the aviation industry. Selling SAF to Qantas at London Heathrow demonstrates not only the aim of both companies towards decarbonising aviation, but also doing so at one of the most important airports in the world.”

Air New Zealand is in lock step with Qantas on the importance of sustainable aviation fuel, and in its newly-released 2021 Sustainability Report made clear that without SAF, it could not achieve its 2050 decarbonisation targets. In his foreword to the report, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Greg Foran, said the airline was in close discussion with the New Zealand government on developing domestic SAF production capacity, and had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to determine the feasibility of doing so, particularly for powering long-haul flights. The airline wants to see domestic SAF production occurring in five to seven years, and has called for the establishment of a public-private advisory body on aviation decarbonisation to consider and advise on the policy settings needed to make SAF available in New Zealand.  

Sir Jonathon Porritt, Chair of Air New Zealand’s Sustainability Advisory Panel, said: “Over the last couple of years, interest in sustainable aviation fuels has gone from a few niche players providing vanishingly small volumes to a rapidly-maturing global industry enthusiastically signed up to a target of providing 10% of the volumes required by 2030 – from a few millions of gallons to many billions in just eight years. As a small country at the end of the world, New Zealand will always be a price-taker. By 2030, it will be the big players in the industry who will be determining that price. The only way of managing that risk is for New Zealand to ensure its own, indigenous SAF capability – and that means taking big decisions in a clear and accountable way over the next couple of years.”

But unlike Qantas, Air New Zealand’s future fleet plan does include electric and hydrogen powered aircraft. Air New Zealand is actively progressing research into both as it seeks to replace its current fleet of Q300 turboprops, and has signed two MoUs to investigate alternatives, one with Airbus on hydrogen technologies and another with ATR Regional Aircraft on battery/hybrid designs. As well, partnerships are being formed with “future energy stakeholders” to enable both battery-electric and green hydrogen operations.

“To truly decarbonise aviation, we’ll need both SAF and battery-electric, hybrid design, and/or hydrogen-electric aircraft,” says the airline’s sustainability report. “Our ambition is to be operating these zero-emission aircraft on our regional network from 2030, or as soon as feasible. New Zealand has a unique opportunity to be a world leader in the adoption of zero-emissions aircraft given the country’s high percentage of renewable energy. These aircraft will also have the potential to enable us to operate new, shorter routes, increasing connectivity for regional New Zealand.”

Air New Zealand has just phased out its fleet of Boeing 777-200ER aircraft and has announced it will retire its larger B777-300ERs by 2027. It already operates next-generation B787-9 aircraft on medium- and long-haul routes, and will add larger B787-10s. The airline has also introduced narrowbody Airbus A320neo jets, will introduce A321neos in 2022 and is adding more ATR 72-600 turboprops for regional services.

Additionally, to incrementally reduce fuel burn, Air New Zealand is progressing a programme to optimise aircraft cabin weights, while on the ground it is increasing the use of electric power units and pre-conditioned air to help reduce the use of aircraft auxiliary power units and cut their emissions.

The airline has also set an ambitious target to divert 65% of its waste away from landfill disposal by 2023 – a substantial increase from the 41.3% it prevented from going to landfill in 2021 – through development and implementation of new waste minimisation initiatives. Among these is a programme called Future Aircraft Cabin Experience (FACE), which includes removing 28 million single-use plastic items each year, adoption of flight weight reduction targets, and increased use of redesigned catering items made from lightweight and renewable sources. 

In the airline’s sustainability report, Porritt said sustainability measures by airlines needed to be meaningful – not just talk. “All airlines’ social licence to operate will now become increasingly hard to earn and increasingly dependent on actions, not on fine words,” he said. “For most people, it may previously have been a rhetorical flourish to talk about sustainability as mission-critical for airlines. Now it’s for real – as in which airlines will survive and which won’t.”

Note: This article was updated on December 17 to reflect new Airbus order by Qantas

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RSB and Air bp announced their partnership in a sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) book and claim pilot earlier this year and, as part of the pilot, were joined by Microsoft, United Airlines and the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) to record the first transaction in the RSB book and claim register. With an approximate 80% reduction in lifecycle emissions in comparison with fossil jet fuel, 7,000 gallons (21 tonnes) of waste-based SAF were supplied by Air bp to United Airlines at UK airports. The sustainability attributes of the fuel were purchased by and credited to Microsoft, a founding company of SABA, which is managed by RMI and the Environmental Defense Fund, reports Susan van Dyk. The transaction was audited and verified by RSB, and the SAF credits were recorded in a book and claim register and retired by Microsoft after the fuel was used. Experience from the pilot scheme, together with broad stakeholder consultations, are contributing to the development of a book and claim manual by RSB, which will establish the rules for a robust, credible and transparent system that verifies the emission reductions achieved while avoiding double counting. Bryan Fisher, Managing Director of RMI’s Climate-Aligned Industries programme, said the book and claim system was “a gamechanger” for the SAF market.

“Virtual ownership of SAF’s environmental attributes can accelerate the technology by unlocking new payers and their resources, and that is why SABA has prioritised participation in this pilot,” he said.

A book and claim system allows the separation of the physical SAF from its sustainability attributes and permits a company to purchase and claim the emission reductions from SAF use regardless of the physical fuel supply location. The company purchasing the sustainability attributes does not use the physical fuel, but claims the SAF credits, which represents a volume of CO2 emissions prevented. In this case, Microsoft purchased 21 SAF credits, representing 21 tonnes of SAF, resulting in a reduction of 53 tonnes of CO2 (calculated on the basis that one tonne of fuel emits 3.16 tonnes of CO2 and an 80% lifecycle reduction). As the customer does not have to use the fuel, purchasing the SAF credits are not limited to fuel users such as airlines but can be done by any company who wants to reduce their Scope 3 emissions.

United and Microsoft have previously purchased SAF, but this was the first time SAF environmental attributes have been transferred using RSB’s book and claim system. RSB is developing the system with input from multiple stakeholders across the aviation value chain, including airlines, fuel producers, corporate customers and others. Feedback from stakeholders and learning experiences during the pilot scheme will help RSB to develop rules in a book and claim manual as a guide for a robust, credible and transparent system that can be used by any stakeholder.

Transactions under a book and claim system will be recorded in a registry, which SABA will be developing in collaboration with RSB and Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST), said Kim Carnahan, SABA Secretariat Lead and Senior Director Net Zero Fuels at ENGIE Impact. This universal electronic ledger or registry will be compatible with the RSB book and claim system, which will detail the rules for how credits can be booked and claimed. Carnahan further explained that the book and claim manual would allow environmental attributes from any SAF certified by RSB and ISCC to be claimed under the system.

The greatest concern with book and claim transactions is the risk of double counting occurring when SAF emissions may be counted more than once towards a climate mitigation effort. Pedro Piris-Cabezas, Director of Sustainable International Transport and Lead Senior Economist at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) discussed the risk at the recent RSB Annual Conference. Avoiding double counting starts with a robust book and claim system from an ICAO-approved Sustainability Certification Scheme such as RSB, he explained, with transactions recorded in a registry.

While there is a risk of double counting between air carriers and corporations, the accounting of emissions reductions by countries in their national inventory reports also poses a risk for double counting. Piris-Cabezas recommends the fuel supplier must secure a commitment from the host country to report the SAF as international bunker fuel in its national inventory reports to ensure that emissions reductions are not claimed twice. Under UNFCCC rules, international bunker fuels (aviation and shipping) are reported separately and are a source of emissions not addressed under countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Piris-Cabezas also highlighted the potential impact of a country’s policy environment and incentive schemes for SAF purchase under a book and claim system as a fuel producer would not be able to claim emission credits for the same SAF. SABA is providing guidance on how to simultaneously address UK policy requirements (as the SAF for the pilot was supplied and used in the UK) and recognise the emissions benefits for voluntary corporate purchases.

According to Elizabeth Willmott, Carbon Program Manager at Microsoft, the pilot offers the opportunity to ensure transparency and credibility for environmental claims for SAF purchases. RSB’s new Executive Director, Elena Schmidt, welcomed the participation of Microsoft and United in the RSB pilot project, which she said “took the pilot into the real world”. Microsoft’s commitment to sourcing RSB-certified fuel is an example of how companies can use their buying power to drive positive impacts, even outside their direct supply chains, she added.

Kelley Kizzier, EDF’s VP Global Climate, said SABA was looking forward to applying the lessons learned from the pilot to the development of an electronic book and claim registry, alongside RSB, so that more air transport customers could benefit.

At the recent COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, SABA announced the addition of an Aviators group to their membership, formed by Amazon Air, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and United Airlines. SABA said the new group would help “send even stronger demand signal to drive greater SAF production, price reduction and technological innovation”. EDF and RMI also unveiled SABA’s formal membership structure at the COP26 event, opening membership opportunities to airlines, companies and non-profit organisations.

SABA was launched by RMI and EDF in April 2021 with founding members Boeing, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Netflix, Bank of America, McKinsey & Company, and Salesforce, with Meta (formerly Facebook) later joining as a founding member.

Photo: SABA’s Kim Carnahan presents the initiative during COP26. The event included a keynote from US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and a panel session with representatives from United Airlines, Alaska Air, Amazon, McKinsey & Company and Deloitte. A YouTube video recording is available here

Susan van Dyk

GreenAir Correspondent

www.svdconsulting.ca

• Linkedin

British Airways’ first flight to the United States since the lifting today of Covid-19 restrictions for most British travellers to the country has been powered by blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). In a synchronised take-off with Virgin Atlantic to New York JFK, BA001, a flight number previously reserved for Concorde, was powered by 35% SAF made from used cooking oil supplied by bp. Although not the first transatlantic flight to be powered by SAF, British Airways believes it is the first to be operated with such a significant level. Current regulations stipulate the maximum blend passenger aircraft can use is 50%, although airframe and engine manufacturers have recently pledged to work towards raising the limit to 100%. BA’s parent company IAG has committed to operating 10% of its flights using SAF by 2030.

The majority of BA’s New York services are operated on Boeing 777 aircraft, following the retirement of its final Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet in 2020. Flight BA001 is operating on its newest aircraft, the Airbus A350, as a demonstrator flight to highlight, says British Airways, the airline’s decarbonisation initiatives and what’s possible by using the latest technology.  

In addition, BA is offsetting all emissions associated with the flight. In September, it announced customers can purchase SAF to reduce their carbon footprint through its not-for-profit partner Pure Leapfrog in addition to the existing offsetting option. In all, BA is operating 26 flights to the US today, as fully vaccinated British travellers are now able to travel between the two countries for the first time since March 2020.

“Today is about celebrating the UK-US reopening of the transatlantic corridor after more than 600 days of separation, and it was fantastic to be able to mark this by synchronising the take-off of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic flights for the first time ever,” commented Sean Doyle, British Airways’ CEO.

“Whilst flying is vital to connect the world and support the UK’s economic recovery from the pandemic, it’s important for us to use this moment to demonstrate how we’re driving our decarbonisation plans forward, and what the future will look like for aviation. That’s why we’ve directly powered our first flight to the US today with sustainable aviation fuel and offset emissions on behalf of our customers. We’re looking forward to the UK government’s continued support to ensure the development and mass production of SAF continues at pace.”

In September, BA announced a collaboration with bp to source SAF in respect of all flights between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh during the COP26 climate conference in Scotland. The SAF for today’s flight to New York has come from this batch, said BA.

Photo: British Airways Airbus A350

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Sustainability standards body RSB has entered a strategic collaboration with Air bp to launch a pilot book and claim system that allows the jet fuel supplier’s customers to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) without a physical connection with the supply site. Book and claim is particularly relevant to the general and business aviation market where fuel volumes are smaller and typically purchased over a wide number of locations, while current SAF volumes and existing supply points remain limited. The new programme will enable Air bp to deliver SAF into the supply chain at one airport location and ‘book’ the carbon reduction associated with it into a registry. Then the customer at another location can ‘claim’ those carbon reductions by purchasing their traditional jet fuel along with the benefit of the lifecycle carbon reductions that have been registered in that registry, reports Susan van Dyk. The system can be used with jet fuel purchases in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, subject to availability, with more locations possible in the future. According to RSB, the pilot scheme and concurrent stakeholder consultations to finalise a book and claim manual will ensure SAF transactions using the system are credible, traceable and avoid double counting. Certification will guarantee the net environmental effect is the same, no matter where SAF is purchased and used.

“Book and claim will be crucial,” said Elena Schmidt, interim Executive Director of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), and “can help to bring the value of SAF to customers who would like to buy it or need the benefits from flying with SAF.”

A lack of availability, which is further limited to only a few locations, places SAF out of reach of many potential customers, explained Schmidt, and is a challenge to the expanded deployment of SAF. If SAF had to be physically available at every airport, additional costs would also be incurred in transportation, and associated emissions would increase. A book and claim system provides a solution to the logistical challenge of bringing SAF to market to allow customers to purchase SAF while decoupling environmental benefits from the physical product, which can be transferred separately via a dedicated registry. The principles of the system are illustrated below.

The pilot phase will run from Q3 2021 to Q1 2022 before the market launch of the certification system in Q2 2022 that will open it to wider market adoption. The first SAF transactions and pilot certificates will be issued during the pilot phase, and specifications for the post-pilot registry will be developed. In tandem, stakeholder consultations will take place and key issues will be addressed, including establishment of rules to prevent double-counting, recognition by voluntary GHG disclosure programmes such as the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), dealing with data confidentiality versus public availability, and alignment with other initiatives and recognition by other programmes. Lessons learnt and stakeholder comments will be integrated into the final certification requirements for the RSB Book & Claim Manual. Key mid-point results of the project will be presented during the 2021 RSB Annual Conference in November.

Air bp will be the first fuel supplier to register and make trades using the RSB book and claim solution. David Mosley from Air bp explained at a RSB seminar held in August that the company had received multiple requests for SAF from customers all over the world. He said book and claim will widen access of SAF to customers who are not located near current SAF production and several customers had requested a book and claim system, which had prompted the collaboration with RSB. “We hope this pilot will increase the appetite for SAF in the industry,” he added.

The minimum volume of book and claim SAF that can be purchased is 5,000USG/19,000 L/ 19m³/ 15MT. As well as giving a wider range of customers access to the benefits of SAF, book and claim will help Air bp to understand SAF demand. In the meantime, Air bp will continue to develop physical SAF supply chains based on demand.

The RSB book and claim is a chain of custody model in which the administrative record flow is not connected to the physical flow of material or product throughout the supply chain. The system includes a registry that guarantees full traceability and mitigates the risk of double counting. SAF suppliers, holding a registry account, will be able to record and trade SAF volumes in the registry, which will issue retirement certificates for airlines and corporate customers.

The system will allow aircraft operators to use the physical fuel in one location while claiming the environmental benefits in a different location to reduce their emissions. Alternatively, it enables the attribution of GHG emission reductions through SAF use to corporations to reduce their Scope 3 emissions.

Integration and alignment of the RSB system with other systems such as the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) SAF Certificate (SAFc) system for corporate travellers (see article) is a goal, and exploring how the RSB system will function under the European Commission’s recently released ReFuelEU proposal, which does not currently include a book and claim system, will be clarified in the near future.

The WEF CST SAFc framework is based on the same principle of separating SAF from its sustainability characteristics but has a different focus than the RSB book and claim system. It is an accounting tool that will allow SAF emissions reductions to be claimed by the traveller if they cover the higher cost of the fuel. It works within standard book and claim processes, allowing the actual SAF to be delivered to the airport nearest its production plant.

A rigorous SAF certificate system will be an essential component of other initiatives such as the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA), comprised of corporations with significant air travel and freight footprints (i.e. Scope 3 emissions) who want to achieve net zero emissions (see article).

A question arises on how these different systems will be integrated to avoid situations like double counting and whether a joint registry should be established for all these systems. According to RSB’s Schmidt, alignment between initiatives is important and will need to be addressed. RSB believes it can contribute to the development process of other initiatives such as SABA since it has the proven ability to develop robust auditing frameworks and the rulebook on book and claim systems using its multi-stakeholder platform. RSB says it can also provide information for developing a credible registry and retirement certificates while also ensuring additional environmental benefits through the use of such credits and avoiding double counting.

The pilot scheme between RSB and Air bp will provide lessons learned to feed into other initiatives, said Schmidt. However, she pointed out, the RSB book and claim and the SAFc systems have different aspirations, and the specific alignment of the systems must be clarified. There are a lot of details that still need to be figured out, she added.

Another area of uncertainty is how the RSB book and claim system will function within the EU as the proposed ReFuelEU Aviation regulation does not currently include provision for such a system. The ReFuelEU Aviation proposal, released as part of the European Commission’s ‘Fit for 55’ climate package, includes a mandate on fuel suppliers to include SAF in aviation fuel supplied at EU airports (see article). The proposed regulation indicates explicitly a book and claim system is not included at this stage, although it is not excluded as a future possibility, provided that it be governed by robust rules ensuring the environmental integrity of the system. While SAF would initially not need to be supplied at every airport, fuel suppliers must provide at least a 2% blend of SAF at every airport – a fraction of the 20% proposed mandate by this date – from 2030-2035. The balance of the mandate can be met by supplying a higher share of SAF at select airports. According to Schmidt, this indicates that some type of certificate trading is implied and that the RSB book and claim system can provide a solution.

During its August seminar, RSB also announced the establishment of the EcoTransport Programme, a sustainability certification that allows transport companies to get a credible third-party RSB certification for their sourcing of fuels that are in compliance with the strong sustainability criteria of the RSB. For example, explained Schmidt, an airline could sell a branded ‘ecofly’ ticket to customers as opposed to a regular ticket. This product would carry RSB certification and allow the use of the RSB trademark. While book and claim allows SAF certified by other sustainability schemes, the EcoTransport certification will comply with stricter sustainability criteria. It goes beyond GHG reductions to provide assurance on key customer concerns around deforestation, food security, labour rights and supply chains, backed by RSB standards. The programme will not be limited to the aviation sector but could also be used by cargo shipping, for example.

Top photo and infographic: Air bp

Susan van Dyk

GreenAir Correspondent

www.svdconsulting.ca

• Linkedin

In a presentation held at British Airways’ London Heathrow maintenance base, BA Chief Executive Sean Doyle unveiled a new sustainability programme and campaign called BA Better World. It included the announcement of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) collaboration with fuel provider bp related to the upcoming COP26 climate change conference in the UK and an extension of its offsetting partnership with Pure Leapfrog enabling customers to include SAF as a purchase option for the first time. In a show of support for BA’s wide range of sustainability initiatives, the event was attended by representatives from organisations including the airline’s SAF partners Velocys and LanzaTech, carbon capture firm Carbon Engineering, Airbus and electric-hydrogen aircraft pioneer ZeroAvia. Mark Pilling reports from one of the first in-person sustainable aviation events to be held since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. British Airways has since carried out a ‘Perfect Flight’ using a new ‘BA Better World’ liveried A320neo between Heathrow and Glasgow that was its first-ever commercial flight to be powered by SAF. The airlines said emissions from the flight were 62% lower compared with a similar length Perfect Flight a decade ago.

Presenting the UK flag carrier’s new sustainability programme ahead of COP26 starting at the end of next month in Glasgow, Doyle said: “We all know this is going to be a pivotal moment for change across every industry.

“With BA Better World we’re on our most important journey yet – to a better, more sustainable future and one which will ensure the long-term success of our business. We’re clear that we have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the planet and have a detailed plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft, improving our operational efficiency and investing in the development of sustainable aviation fuel and zero emissions aircraft.”

Stressing its environmental credentials dated back to 1992, when Doyle said BA was the first airline to report its carbon footprint, the carrier is the latest to publicly lay out its sustainability roadmap and insists the issue is a strategic priority.

Doyle made his presentation with one of BA’s first Airbus A320neos as the backdrop. The aircraft has been symbolically painted in a blue ‘BA Better World’ scheme. “The aircraft serves as a constant and visual testament to our colleagues, customers and to all of our stakeholders of the commitment we are making today, which is to put sustainability at the heart of our business,” said Doyle. “The aircraft is part of a much bigger story for British Airways, about how we emerge from the pandemic, thrive and have a more sustainable future.”

The introduction of more fuel-efficient aircraft, such as the A320neo, along with aircraft technology advances such as zero emissions aircraft, is an important component of BA’s detailed plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, said Doyle. In a video presentation (see below), BA’s roadmap to 2050 sees a third of its emissions reduction coming from this source, with a further third coming from the use of SAF, which it says will meet 50% of all fuel needs by mid-century, and the remaining third from “robust” carbon reductions and removals in other sectors. Doyle emphasised achieving net zero by 2050 will take time and partnerships with government and industry, and that new SAF plants needed seed funding and required price certainty for investors.

Doyle announced a collaboration with long-standing fuel partner Air bp to source enough SAF to cover all its flights between London’s City, Gatwick and Heathrow airports and Glasgow and Edinburgh airports during COP26, which he said would reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 80%. COPs usually attract around 30,000 delegates but with international travel Covid restrictions in place, numbers attending this year remain uncertain and Doyle said BA’s schedule over the COP26 period is still therefore to be determined. However, there is expected to be heavy air traffic on the routes between London and Scotland, and the airline has provisioned for enough SAF to offset the equivalent jet fuel used on all flights over the two-week event. The SAF, blended at around 40% with conventional fuel, will be produced from used cooking oil, imported into the UK and will be co-mingled into the fuel distribution systems at the three London airports. Doyle pointed out that BA now also buys offsets to cover emissions on all domestic flights.

“Our companies have a long-standing relationship and will continue to work together on sustainable aviation fuel supply initiatives on an on-going basis,” said Martin Thomsen, Senior Vice President of bp’s aviation business. “At bp we want to help decarbonise the aviation industry and we will continue to collaborate with industry stakeholders and governments to explore viable options to help scale up sustainable aviation fuel more broadly.”

Thomsen told GreenAir the company is making small batches of SAF at its R&D facilities with a view to scaling up production in the future. It is also a long-term supplier and partner with BA, and has signed wide-ranging SAF collaboration deals with other carriers, for example Qantas. The company does have other such partnerships with global airlines, but these have not been announced at this time, he said.

Doyle said the collaboration with bp forms part of British Airways’ long-term commitment to the development and use of SAF. The airline’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF, with BA having formed partnerships with a number of technology and fuel companies to develop SAF plants and purchase the fuel, including Velocys in the UK and LanzaJet in the US. Doyle said he expected the airline would be taking its first SAF supplies from LanzaJet by the end of next year, “which will be an important milestone.”

British Airways, as part of an IAG commitment, recently stated it would power 10% of its fuel needs with SAF by 2030, which Doyle conceded was “very ambitious”.

“But the demand from the industry is there, and now we need to create the supply,” he added. “Although we don’t have a SAF plant up and running in the UK as yet, we’re trying to develop one in Humberside and that’s making good progress with Velocys. If more supply is there, maybe the target can be revisited.”

In the meantime, he said, carbon offsets, although an interim solution, are accessible “right now” and can have a positive impact supporting community projects and biodiversity around the world, as well as offsetting carbon. “In the future, we expect offsets to migrate into supporting funding and research in carbon capture technology.”

BA also announced that customers can now buy SAF to reduce their carbon footprint via its offset partner Pure Leapfrog and SAF partner bp during the online booking process. As well as the existing option for customers to offset their emissions through supporting three projects, another option is a combination of 10% SAF purchase and 90% carbon offsets.

The airline’s Head of Sustainability, Carrie Harris, revealed BA is also in dialogue with its top corporate customers about helping them reduce their carbon footprint from flying through an opportunity to purchase SAF. “They are all really interested in this topic,” she said.

Added Doyle: “The more opportunities we have to talk about ways to offset emissions, the more credible and tangible it becomes and it also drives awareness of the wider challenge we face as an industry. Sustainability is at the heart of every conversation we have with our customers.”

Since the unveiling of the Better World A320neo at the event, British Airways carried out a Perfect Flight from Heathrow to Glasgow on September 14, the first-ever passenger flight by the airline to be powered directly by sustainable aviation fuel. BA teamed up with Heathrow and Glasgow airports, the UK’s air traffic control organisation NATS, Airbus and bp to demonstrate innovations such as continuous climb and descent, SAF and the use of electric ground operations vehicles. Remaining emissions are to be offset, to achieve a carbon neutral flight.

BA operated its first Perfect Flight in 2010 on the Heathrow to Edinburgh route and the airline says the aim of Glasgow flight was to demonstrate how far the aviation industry has progressed in decarbonisation efforts since then. The use of the A320neo, which burns 20% less fuel than its predecessor aircraft, and SAF, which was blended at 35% with traditional jet fuel, along with the other fuel saving measures, resulted in a 62% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the 2010 flight, reported the airline.

Those measures included the aircraft being pushed back using one of the airline’s electric Mototok vehicles, powered by Heathrow’s supply of 100% renewable electricity, and using just one of the aircraft’s engines to taxi out to the runway and taxi in to the stand at Glasgow.  Air traffic controllers at NATS directed the aircraft on its continuous climb from Heathrow and descent into Glasgow without airborne holding, and NATS provided the most direct routing and most optimal flight level. Climb speeds were programmed in advance and aircraft computer systems worked out the optimum altitude and used accurate weight and wind data to ensure the most efficient journey possible.

The data from the flight will be analysed to fully understand the benefits and how the techniques and procedures used can be implemented in the everyday and in the future.

“We learn a lot from projects like this, which can inform future airspace designs and ultimately make UK skies more sustainable,” said Ian Jopson, Head of Sustainable Operations at NATS.

In order to reduce the weight of the new aircraft and lower fuel burn, British Airways has installed newer, lighter seats, lighter catering trollies and replaced heavy flight manuals and inflight magazines with digital downloads.

“This flight offered a practical demonstration of the progress we’re making in our carbon reduction journey,” commented BA CEO Sean Doyle. “By working together with our industry partners, we’ve delivered a 62% improvement in emission reductions compared to a decade ago. This marks real progress in our efforts to decarbonise and shows our determination to continue innovating, working with governments and industry, and accelerating the adoption of new low carbon solutions to get us closer still to the Perfect Flight of the future.”

Photo: bp’s Martin Thomsen (left) and Sean Doyle of British Airways

Mark Pilling

GreenAir Contributing Editor

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Additional reporting by Christopher Surgenor

Editor’s note: This article was updated on September 16 to include coverage of BA’s Perfect Flight demonstration