UAE carrier, Emirates has continued to increase its Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) footprint across its operations. The airline recently took delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Shell Aviation at London Heathrow Airport. Over 3,000 metric tonnes of neat SAF, blended with conventional jet fuel, will be supplied into the fuelling infrastructure network of the airport* until the end of summer 2024, according the airline.
Emirates says this is first time it will be using SAF to power some of its flights at London Heathrow and “represents the largest volume of SAF it has purchased to date”, highlighting that it is participating in London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive Programme, which ensures its affordability and accessibility for airlines operating at the airport.
The SAF that Emirates has purchased from Shell Aviation for its London operations will be safely dropped into existing airport fuelling infrastructure and aircraft jet engines. In its neat form, SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80%** compared to using conventional jet fuel.
The airlines Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer, Adel Al Redha said: “The LHR Incentive Programme” allows airlines “like Emirates to take advantage of its availability and make it more commercially viable.” Leveraging on its SAF usage, Emirates assures that it will “continue to take other steps to reduce our emissions, with a major focus around optimising flight operations including weight reduction of aircraft and charting more efficient flight routes, among other initiatives.”
Raman Ojha, President, Shell Aviation, added: the supply of SAF for the London operations furthers the “successful collaboration with Emirates to supply SAF to Dubai (DXB) last year” and “Our goal is to continue to work with forward-thinking players in the aviation industry, like Emirates and London Heathrow, to make SAF available in more locations around the world.”
Emirates says its SAF strategy “focuses on exploring opportunities to use SAF operationally wherever it is available in the airline’s network, share emissions costs with corporate customers or freight forwarders where feasible, cooperate on longer-term SAF projects with reputable partners and support SAF ventures in the UAE with the potential to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel at its hub.” Emirates currently operates flights from Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon and Oslo with SAF.
Last year, the airline collaborated with Shell Aviation to supply SAF into Dubai Airport fuelling systems for the first time ever, allocating the SAF to a number of flights. In May of this year, the airline plans to work with local partners at Singapore Changi Airport for the supply of SAF through the airport’s fuelling systems, says the airline.
Earlier this year, Emirates became the first international carrier to join the Solent Cluster in the UK, an initiative focused on low carbon investments with the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant that can produce up to 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year if operational by 2032. The Solent Cluster is a cross-sector collaboration of international organisations, including manufacturers and engineering companies, regional businesses and industries, leading logistics and infrastructure operators and academic institutions.