Finnish renewable fuels producer Neste is to supply sustainable aviation fuel to Wizz Air, which provides the low-cost carrier the opportunity to purchase 36,000 tonnes of SAF per year over a period of three years to use across its route network in Europe and the UK. The SAF volumes to be purchased are a key part of the airline’s environmental strategy to reduce carbon emissions intensity per passenger km by 25% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Boeing has also reached an agreement with Neste to purchase 5.6 million gallons (21.2m litres) of blended SAF supplied by Neste’s partners EPIC Fuels, Signature Aviation and Avfuel to power its US commercial operations through 2023. Still in the United States, a collaboration involving Neste, Bell, Safran Helicopter Engines, GKN Aerospace and Virent has resulted in the first-ever single-engine helicopter to fly using 100% SAF.

In 2022, Airbus aircraft operator Wizz Air achieved its lowest-ever annual carbon intensity, which amounted to 55.2 grams per passenger/km, and picked up a number of industry sustainability awards.

“We continue to invest in innovative technology and believe that SAF is a key part of the solution for decarbonising the aviation industry,” said Ian Malin, EVP and Group CFO at Wizz Air. “The partnership with Neste reaffirms our progress in reducing our carbon emissions intensity, which is already one of the lowest in the world.”

Responded Jonathan Wood, VP Europe, Renewable Aviation at Neste: “We look forward to working with Wizz Air on the reduction of their carbon emissions, as we increase our annual SAF production to 1.5 million tonnes by the end of 2023.”

The purchase by Boeing more than doubles its SAF procurement from last year. The SAF will be blended with conventional jet fuel at a 30/70 ratio, with the volume of SAF supplied by Neste totalling around 1.7 million gallons. EPIC, Signature and Avfuel will supply the blended SAF for Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator programme and the company’s fuel storage in Washington state and South Carolina. Additionally, the three companies will supply blended SAF for generating emissions reduction benefits for Boeing to allocate for company operations including Dreamlifter and executive flights, and commercial airplane deliveries.

“As one of the top aircraft manufacturers in the world, Boeing is sending a clear message to the entire aviation industry through this purchase that SAF is a key solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flying,” said Michael Sargeant, VP Americas, Renewable Aviation at Neste.

The 100% SAF-powered flight of the Bell 505 in Texas had been preceded by rigorous testing by Safran Helicopter Engines, the manufacturer of the helicopter’s Arrius 2R engine, and GKN Aerospace, the fuel system component supplier. Neste collaborated with Virent, the supplier of the bio-based aromatic additive, to blend, test and deliver the SAF as a 100% drop-in fuel.

“Neste is working closely with forerunners in the aviation industry on verifying that aircraft can run safely on 100% SAF,” said Wood. “This successful collaboration demonstrates that we are one step closer to enabling the entire aviation industry to take full advantage of 100% SAF as the key means to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions of air travel.”

Michael Thacker, EVP Commercial Business for Bell, said the flight was “a monumental achievement” for the sustainability and decarbonisation of the rotorcraft aircraft. “Showcasing a single-engine aircraft’s flight capabilities with 100% SAF signals Bell’s commitment to alternative fuel usage and builds on its sustainability practices in its flight operations,” he added.

Photo (Bell): The first-ever 100% SAF single-engine helicopter flight

Christopher Surgenor

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Boeing will source two million gallons (7.5 million litres) of sustainable aviation fuel from Texas-based Epic Fuels in what the companies have described as “the largest announced SAF procurement by an airframer”. Throughout 2022, Boeing will use the SAF in its commercial operations in both Washington state and South Carolina to help fuel the test, ferry and customer flights of new aircraft, as well as operations by its giant Dreamlifter freighters that are used to transport major aircraft components and other large shipments, reports Tony Harrington. Use of the fuels will progress Boeing’s commitment that by 2030 it will offer commercial aircraft which are both able and certified to fly using 100% SAF, and also support broader initiatives by the aerospace industry to grow SAF use. In other OEM developments, European turboprop manufacturer ATR has test flown an ATR 72-600 aircraft with one of its two engines fuelled by 100% SAF, while regional jet maker Embraer is planning a similar trial in partnership with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.

The latest purchase agreement between long-term partners Boeing and Epic Fuels will include supplies developed from inedible agricultural waste, which will then be used to produce a blend of 30% SAF and 70% conventional jet fuel. Epic will also continue to provide customised blends graduating from 50 to 100% SAF for use in the Boeing ecoDemonstrator programme, in which new technologies are assessed on flights by testbed aircraft. Although the maximum SAF-fossil fuel blend approved by regulators is 50/50 for commercial flights, Boeing, alongside other airframe and engine manufacturers, is working to achieve universal approval for 100% SAF use to power everyday flights.

“SAF is a safe, proven, immediate solution that will help achieve our industry’s long-term commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Sheila Remes, Boeing VP Environmental Sustainability. “Boeing has been a pioneer in making sustainable aviation fuels a reality. Through this agreement we will reduce our carbon footprint and have SAF available for customer deliveries as well as our own operations.” 

The company began test flights with SAF in 2008, and in 2011 helped achieve regulatory approval to use the fuels on commercial flights. In 2018, through its ecoDemonstrator programme, Boeing used a FedEx B777 freighter to perform the first test flight of a commercial aircraft using 100% SAF, and in 2019 started offering airlines the option to use SAF on delivery flights of new aircraft. The latest fuel purchase will support Boeing’s commercial operations in Everett, Renton and Seattle, in Washington state, and in North Charleston, South Carolina.

“Epic and Boeing have been partners for decades. Working together, we are making sustainability more attainable for our customers,” said Kyle O’Leary, Vice President and COO of Epic Fuels, an independent supplier with primary operations in the US and Canada. Epic has partnered with Boeing to test alternative fuels on Boeing 757 and 787 testbed aircraft, and with Alaska Airlines, first in a trial of biofuel produced from non-edible, sustainable corn, and later the first commercial flight using renewable alternative jet fuel produced from residual forest waste.  

In Europe, ATR Regional Aircraft has just achieved seven hours of ground and flight testing of an ATR 72-600 prototype aircraft, on which one of the two engines was powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel produced from renewable waste and residues raw material such as used cooking oil. The tests were conducted with Finnish waste-to-SAF producer Neste and Swedish ATR operator Braathens Regional Airlines, as part of a collaboration to achieve certification of ATR aircraft to use 100% SAF by 2025.  The three companies are planning to operate a SAF demonstration flight with a Braathens aircraft later this year.

“The achievement of this great milestone shows that we are fully committed to making the use of 100% SAF possible and helping our customers meet their objectives to provide even more sustainable air links, not in 2035 or 2050, but in the coming years,” said Stefan Bortoli, ATR’s CEO. The company has estimated that with 100% SAF in both engines, CO2 emissions from an ATR aircraft flying on a typical regional route would be reduced by 82%.

Regional jet manufacturer Embraer and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney have also announced plans to operate a demonstration flight this year using 100% SAF. The flight will be operated with an Embraer E195-E2 aircraft powered by Pratt and Whitney GTF engines. “Collaboration is an essential pre-requisite for our industry to achieve our environmental goals,” said Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation.

GE Aviation and Emirates have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a 100% SAF test flight by the end of this year, using an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER powered by GE90 engines.  

Photo: Boeing