Emirates has right this moment introduced an settlement with Shell Aviation for the availability of over 300,000 gallons of blended sustainable aviation gas (SAF) to be used on the airline’s worldwide hub in Dubai (DXB). The primary SAF supply below the settlement is anticipated to start earlier than the top of the 12 months, making it the primary time that SAF is provided by means of the DXB airport fueling system.
The settlement is the most recent step ahead taken by Emirates as a part of its environmental technique that focuses on three areas: emissions discount, accountable consumption, and the conservation of wildlife and habitats.
As a part of the settlement, Emirates will observe SAF supply and its use information by means of Avelia, one of many world’s first blockchain powered SAF options. Avelia is powered by Shell Aviation and Accenture, with assist from Vitality Internet along with American Specific World enterprise journey. By way of Avelia, Emirates will buy the bodily SAF and related environmental attributes to assist decarbonize its Scope 1 associated emissions, whereas Scope 3 environmental attributes related to the identical bodily SAF might be bought by Shell Company Journey to assist decarbonize its associated enterprise journey. By utilizing Avelia, the settlement demonstrates how ebook and declare options can allow airways and corporates to each share the environmental advantages of SAF.
Tim Clark, president Emirates Airline, mentioned, “We’re proud to work in partnership with Shell to make a SAF provide obtainable for Emirates in Dubai for the primary time, and to make the most of the Avelia platform that gives enterprise vacationers the flexibleness to align their sustainability targets and cut back their environmental footprint when travelling. We hope that this collaboration develops additional to offer an ongoing future provide of SAF in our hub, as there are at the moment no manufacturing services for SAF within the UAE. Aviation performs a significant position in Dubai and the broader UAE financial system, and we look ahead to proceed collaborating with like-minded organizations and authorities entities to have a look at viable options that introduce extra SAF, a gas that’s at the moment extraordinarily restricted in provide, into the aviation gas provide chain and assist Emirates’ efforts to cut back emissions throughout our operations.”
Chu Yong-Yi, vp of Shell Company Journey, mentioned, “Emirates and Shell have a long-standing business relationship, and it’s unbelievable to construct on this to now work collectively on decarbonisation. This settlement marks a step ahead for the aviation trade within the UAE. Enabling SAF to be provided at DXB for the primary time is a vital milestone, and an ideal instance of how the totally different components of the aviation worth chain have a job to play in unlocking progress on SAF. We hope that this will act as a springboard for extra motion on SAF throughout the aviation trade within the UAE and area, delivering one other step ahead for our internet zero emissions journey.”
As a protected and absolutely licensed drop-in gas appropriate with present plane fleet and airport infrastructure, SAF might be blended with typical jet gas at a ratio of as much as 50 p.c, creating an aviation gas that’s considerably decrease in lifecycle carbon emissions. In its neat type, SAF can cut back lifecycle emissions by as much as 80 p.c in comparison with typical jet gas.1
Earlier this 12 months, Emirates efficiently accomplished the primary 100% SAF-powered demonstration flight within the area. The airline’s first flight powered by SAF blended with jet gas befell in 2017, working from Chicago on a Boeing 777. The airline has additionally uplifted SAF for flights from Stockholm, and at the moment operates flights from Paris, Lyon and Oslo with blended SAF.
Emirates participates in a variety of trade and UAE authorities working teams, together with ongoing stakeholder engagements to assist scale the manufacturing and provide of SAF. Final 12 months, along with the UAE GCAA, the airline contributed to the event of the UAE’s Energy-to-Liquid (PtL) fuels roadmap, pushed by the UAE Ministry of Vitality and Infrastructure and the World Financial Discussion board, and has been an lively participant within the UAE’s Nationwide Sustainable Aviation Gas Roadmap launched in January 2023 by the Ministry of Vitality and Infrastructure and GCAA.
[1] Precise carbon discount estimate for SAF will fluctuate relying on manufacturing pathway; an 80 p.c discount is the higher restrict of what’s commercially obtainable right this moment; IATA, Creating Sustainable Aviation Gas (SAF)
