Airbus has reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Neste to jointly take forward the production and uptake of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to decarbonise the aerospace.
The partnership aims to expedite the aviation industry’s move to SAF.
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Airbus Communications and Corporate Affairs executive vice-president Julie Kitcher said: “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 honoured to be partnering with Neste to drive forward the development and uptake of SAF to stimulate 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 up to 100% SAF before the end of the decade.”
The alliance is expected to create a foundation for both parties to drive SAF development across the global aviation sector.
Both Neste and Airbus will focus on exploring new business prospects and promoting SAF usage and production.
Green fuel’s technical development, fuel approval, and trial of existing and future production technologies will be emphasised.
The firms will also examine how ‘100% SAF’ use can be enabled and work on the technical aspects of the challenge to attain the 100% SAF certification.
Neste Renewable Aviation executive vice-president Thorsten Lange 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.”
