Airbus and Neste sign MoU to advance the use of SAF
On 30 November, Neste announced their agreement with Airbus. The pair are seeking to advance the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The partnership is aimed at accelerating the aviation industry’s transition to the sustainable alternative to traditional jet-fuel. Together, Neste and Airbus are focusing on the technical development of SAF, fuel approval, testing of current and future production technologies, and investigating how “100% SAF” use can be enabled.
Neste is growing quickly. Already the world’s leading producer of SAF, the company is developing a new facility that will grow its production capacity to around 1.5 million tonnes of SAF per year. The scaling up of SAF production is fundamental to bringing down its price.
Discussing their latest partnership with Airbus, Thorsten Lange, Executive Vice President, Renewable Aviation, Neste said:
“Neste is at the forefront of accelerating the aviation sector’s journey to a more sustainable future. That journey requires cooperation across the industry’s value chain. This collaboration with Airbus connects a pioneer in the aerospace industry with a leader in renewable fuels. The combined knowledge and expertise of the companies will help advance the use and availability of SAF as a means of transitioning aviation towards more sustainable energy sources and reducing the climate impact of aviation.”
The EVP Communications, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, Airbus Julie Kitcher said:
“At Airbus, we believe SAF is one of aerospace’s most promising decarbonisation solutions that can be used in both in-service aircraft fleets and those of tomorrow. We are proud to partner with Neste and drive forward the development and uptake of SAF, stimulating the creation of a commercially viable market for renewable aviation fuels. All Airbus aircraft are already certified for flying with up to 50% SAF, and this partnership will be instrumental to reaching certification for 100% SAF by the end of the decade.”
SAF is widely recognised as playing a critical role in achieving the aviation sector’s net-zero by 2050 targets. Partnerships like these are crucial for facilitating the industry’s transition to a sustainable future. For more articles exploring Neste’s partnerships read here.
Alongside SAF, hydrogen has been a significant focus for cutting emissions. Read about the recent industry breakthrough here.
Article by Jess Brownlow
