Emirates recently marked a significant milestone in its sustainability journey by receiving sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Shell Aviation at London Heathrow Airport. This move underscores the airline's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and embracing greener practices.
Securing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at London Heathrow
Emirates recently received sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Shell Aviation at London Heathrow Airport, marking a significant step in their commitment to reducing carbon emissions. The airline has purchased the largest volume to date, totaling over 3,000 metric tons of neat SAF blended with conventional jet fuel, which will power some of their flights departing from London Heathrow until the end of summer 2024.
Utilizing Significant Volumes of SAF
This initiative represents Emirates' participation in London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive Program, which aims to make SAF more affordable and accessible for airlines operating at the airport. By utilizing SAF, Emirates aims to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.
The airline will carefully monitor the delivery, accounting, and sustainability attributes of the SAF through robust reporting methodologies. The SAF supplied by Shell Aviation will be seamlessly integrated into existing airport fueling infrastructure and aircraft jet engines.
Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer of Emirates Airline, expressed eagerness about this collaboration, highlighting the importance of initiatives like the LHR Incentive Program in supporting the momentum of the SAF market. He emphasized the airline's commitment to exploring opportunities to increase SAF usage within its network while continuing to implement other emission reduction measures, such as optimizing flight operations.
Raman Ojha, President of Shell Aviation, reiterated the company's commitment to supporting Emirates in its sustainability journey, following their successful collaboration in supplying SAF to Dubai Airport the previous year. This partnership signifies further progress in expanding the global SAF supply network.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Scheme at London Heathrow, launched in 2022, aims to reduce the premium price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF by approximately 50%. Ross Baker, Chief Commercial Officer of Heathrow, highlighted the importance of SAF in decarbonizing long-haul flights and expressed optimism about supporting the use of up to 155,000 metric tons of SAF at Heathrow this year. He stressed the need to ramp up SAF production in the UK to unlock its economic and environmental benefits.
Emirates' SAF strategy extends beyond London Heathrow, with plans to utilize SAF wherever available in their network and collaborate on longer-term SAF projects with reputable partners. The airline has also joined the Solent Cluster in the UK, participating in initiatives focused on low-carbon investments and the potential establishment of a SAF plant capable of producing up to 200,000 metric tons per year by 2032.
Moreover, Emirates' adoption of sustainable aviation fuel at London Heathrow Airport underscores its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a more sustainable aviation industry.