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Dave

Air Malta’s fleet renewal project continues with fifth Airbus A320neo delivery – improved comfort, reliability, and sustainability for business travellers

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Air Malta has taken delivery of its fifth Airbus A320neo, 9H-NEE, which marks another milestone in the airline’s fleet renewal project.

This new aircraft will replace the outgoing A320ceo, 9H-AEQ, and is equipped with CFM International LEAP-1A engines and features a two-cabin configuration that can accommodate up to 180 passengers.

Many business travellers appreciate that the A320neo is the world’s most comfortable short-to-medium-haul aircraft, and with its advanced technology, it offers improved fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions than previous-generation Airbus aircraft.

Connected airline: Air Malta is a point-to-point airline that links to partner airlines through 13 codeshares and 61 interline agreements.

The aircraft’s quieter engines and added approach and landing capabilities ensure a smoother and more comfortable journey, while its data communication systems make it a reliable option for short-range flights.

Air Malta’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its fleet renewal project, which aims to transition to a single-type aircraft, the A320neo, to reduce fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and noise footprint.

The delivery flight from the Airbus plant in Toulouse to Malta International Airport was powered by a blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which demonstrates Air Malta’s efforts to be a leader in reducing human-induced climate change and meeting its sustainability targets.

Business travellers will appreciate the in-flight entertainment experience offered by the Blueview digital system onboard the A320neo, which provides access to videos, audio, moving maps, games and much more.

Overall, Air Malta’s investment in its fleet renewal project is good news for business travelers, as it offers improved comfort, reliability, and sustainability while maintaining its reputation as the national airline of the Maltese Islands.

Dave

United invests $5 Million in algae-based fuel producer Viridos

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United wants to turn microalgae into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through the first new investment of its recently announced UAV Sustainable Flight Fund since its launch: algae biofuel company Viridos.

This $5 million investment will support the production of SAF made from algae, an abundant and scalable resource that can be grown and harvested without impacting the food supply chain.

Viridos specialises in the bioengineering of microalgae and its proprietary technology accelerates the amount of oil that can be produced from microalgae. This algae oil could then be used to scale the future production of SAF.

SAF is an alternative to conventional jet fuel that, on a lifecycle basis, reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with air travel compared to conventional jet fuel alone.

SAF is made from used cooking oil and agricultural waste, and in the future could be made from other feedstocks, including household waste, forest waste or algae.

“Best tool we have to reduce our carbon emissions” – Mike Leskinen

To date, United Airlines has invested in the future production of over three billion gallons of SAF, which the airline claims is the most of any airline in the world.

United Airlines Ventures President Mike Leskinen said,

SAF is proven, scalable, and the best tool we have to reduce our carbon emissions from flying, but we face a significant shortage of available feedstock.

As the global aviation leader in SAF production investment United remains committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions, without relying on traditional carbon offsets, by 2050.

Viridos’ algae-based biofuel technology has the potential to help solve our supply problem without the need for farmland or other agricultural resources and marks our inaugural investment in our new cross-industry UAV Sustainable Flight Fund.

“The foundation for a biofuel future” – Viridos CEO Oliver Fetzer

Viridos, a biofuel company focused on decarbonising industries, is leading the bioengineering of microalgae and has already achieved seven times the oil productivity compared to typical wild-type algae.

This creates an opportunity for potentially scalable and more sustainable production of algae oil, that could later be used to produce SAF.

Oliver Fetzer, Viridos Chief Executive Officer said.

By establishing production sites to grow Viridos-engineered microalgae in saltwater, we are creating the foundation for a biofuel future that moves away from fossil fuels without competing for precious resources such as fresh water and arable land.

We are excited to have the support from United Airlines. Together we can build the ecosystem needed to bring algae biofuels to the market.

Based on current estimates, SAF created by Viridos’ algae oil is expected to have a 70% reduced carbon footprint on a lifecycle basis when compared to traditional jet fuel.


Dave

Wizz Air and OMV sign SAF agreement

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Wizz Air has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OMV, the international integrated oil, gas and chemicals company headquartered in Vienna, for the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) between 2023 and 2030.

The MoU gives Wizz Air the opportunity to purchase up to 185,000 metric tons of SAF from OMV. This co-operation ensures that Wizz Air can progress in accordance with its plan for the reduction of CO2 intensity per passenger kilometre.

In a statement, the airline claims this announcement is ‘a key part of the airline’s environmental strategy to reduce carbon emissions intensity by 25% by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050’.

The statement continues, ‘with the lowest CO2 intensity per passenger kilometre in Europe, one of the youngest fleets in the world, and numerous fuel efficiency initiatives, Wizz Air is already leading the aviation industry to a more sustainable future’.

OMV is implementing numerous measures to help deliver its ambitious strategic sustainability goals, and says that SAF is a key technology for the decarbonisation of the aviation industry. The goal involves increasing SAF production to as much as 700,000 tons in 2030, in line with OMV’s ambition to become a net zero company by 2050 at the latest (for Scopes 1, 2 and 3). To this end, medium-term and long-term emission reduction targets have been defined as part of the OMV Strategy 2030.

Owain Jones: “our customers are making the most responsible choice of air travel available”

Owain Jones, Development Officer at Wizz Air, said,

We have achieved our market-leading sustainability position by continued investment in innovative technology and operating the most up-to-date aircraft in the most efficient way.  Wizz Air is committed to driving our emissions intensity down by a further 25% by the end of the decade, with the use of SAF playing a significant role in that commitment.  Supporting the production and research of SAF technologies is one of our priorities and we are pleased to co-operate with OMV to further reduce the aviation industry’s carbon footprint. The new MoU is testament to our commitment to ensuring that by choosing to fly with Wizz Air, our customers are making the most responsible choice of air travel available.

Nina Marczell: “a more sustainable aviation future”

Nina Marczell, OMV Vice President Aviation, Fuel Distribution & Public Sector, said:

I am very pleased that the co-operation between OMV and Wizz Air will help us achieve our respective strategic sustainability goals.

With Wizz Air we were able to gain a strong international partner.

SAF is the most significant path to decarbonizing aviation in the coming decades.

Our strategic relationship is enabling the way to a more sustainable aviation future we both want to be part of.


Dave

Malaysia Airlines operates first passenger flight with Sustainable Aviation Fuel

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Malaysia Airlines has operated its first passenger flight using Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Flight MH603 from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore took place on Sunday, 5 June.

The historic flight was operated with a Boeing 737-800 aircraft fuelled by a blend of conventional jet fuel and Neste’s SAF, which is produced from 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as animal fat waste.

Produced by Neste, the world’s largest SAF producer, the fuel was supplied through a supply deal with PETCO Trading (UK) Ltd, which is PETRONAS’ marketing and trading arm based in Europe, while product handling and refuelling was carried out by PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad (PDB) at KLIA.

Following the milestone, long-term supply of SAF will be made available at KLIA for airline customers, as well as future flights operated by sister airlines under Malaysia Aviation Group, including Firefly.

The send-off event in KLIA followed the historic SAF-fuelled commercial cargo flight MH7979 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in December 2021, proving the feasibility of SAF as a cleaner and more viable fuel option.

Philip See, Group Chief Sustainability Officer of MAG, said, 

MAG aims to be a pioneer in using SAF for flights in Malaysia as part of our commitment to achieving socio-economic development and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We have taken proactive measures in minimising our carbon footprint from the ground up through measures taken within our operations, including fuel efficiency programmes such as SAF.

With the commencement of our first passenger flight using SAF, we encourage passengers to join us on this journey as we take the necessary steps to minimise our environmental impacts and plan for more flights powered by SAF; for the betterment of the industry, nation, and future of our planet. Moving forward, we will look to make SAF the cleaner and more viable energy option for our regular flights by 2025.

A special taskforce has been formed by the National Aerospace Industry Coordinating Office (NAICO) and led by Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to drive the adoption of SAF. Other members include the relevant Ministries and industry players including MAG and PETRONAS.

Both MAG and PDB entered a partnership in 2021 jointly to explore potential collaborative opportunities that advance sustainability, including the supply and adoption of SAF at KLIA. They also aim to strengthen awareness of aviation sustainability through a united communication and advocacy strategy around carbon emission reduction.

In anticipation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) mandatory phase in 2027, PETRONAS is evaluating planned developments of greenfield and brownfield biorefineries as well as co-processing at existing PETRONAS facilities.

Azrul Osman Rani, PDB’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer said,

In line with PETRONAS’ commitment towards achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, exploring the supply of SAF at KLIA is a natural progression for us with aviation fuel being one of our key products.

With two proven flights, PDB has demonstrated its capabilities and infrastructure readiness in supplying SAF in KLIA from now onwards to support the aviation industry’s sustainability agenda.

Coupled with commitment from the special taskforce, we are confident that we will be able to jointly accelerate the transformation of the Malaysian aviation industry into a sustainable one.

Neste supports aviation’s reduction goals and is currently expanding its global SAF production capacity to 1.5 million tonnes by the end of 2023.

Sami Jauhiainen, Vice President APAC, Renewable Aviation at Neste said,

This collaboration with PETRONAS enables our first supply of Neste MY SAF to Malaysia.

I am excited to see how countries and airlines in the Asia-Pacific region are setting ambitious targets to decarbonize aviation and increasingly many airlines are taking SAF into use to reduce their emissions and enable their travellers to fly more sustainably. Neste is committed to play its part with the ongoing expansion of our global production capacity to 1.5 million tons of SAF by end of 2023, ready to support the Asia-Pacific and global aviation markets…

Dave

British Airways to power a number of flights with sustainable aviation fuel as it marks the delivery of its first supply from Phillips 66 Limited

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British Airways has taken delivery of the first batch of sustainable aviation fuel produced by Phillips 66 Limited, making it the first airline in the world to start using SAF produced on a commercial scale in the UK.

Phillips 66 SAF refinery

The Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham is producing thousands of tonnes of SAF that will now help power a number of British Airways flights.

The SAF is produced from sustainable waste feedstock at the refinery and British Airways will add it into the existing pipeline infrastructure that directly feeds several UK airports including London Heathrow.

British Airways and Phillips 66 are both committed to a lower carbon future. The sustainable aviation fuel bought by the airline will be enough to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, enough to power 700 net zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on its fuel-efficient Boeing 787 aircraft.  

Both companies support Government plans for a future SAF mandate and a business model for investing in advanced waste to jet fuel projects through participation in the Department for Transport’s Jet Zero Council Delivery Group.

British Airways also continues to work with Government on ways to provide certainty for investors to help the UK be a leader in SAF production.

The delivery of the first batch of SAF from Phillips 66 Limited is a significant milestone for the airline as it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

International Airlines Group, the airline’s parent company, is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF and British Airways has existing partnerships with several companies to develop plants and purchase the sustainable fuel.

Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive, said:

Being the first airline to source sustainable aviation fuel produced at commercial scale in the UK is another breakthrough moment for us and the airline industry.

Our supplies of SAF from Phillips 66 Limited will allow us to progress with our ambitious roadmap to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner and will play a role in our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group (IAG), to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030.

Progressing the development and commercial scale up of sustainable aviation fuel will be a game changer and crucial to reducing the aviation sector’s reliance on fossil fuels and improving the UK’s energy supply resilience. I’m confident that Britain can take a leading role on the global stage in this space, creating green jobs and export opportunities, if industry, developers and Government continue to collaborate and make it a key focus area.

Darren Cunningham, Lead Executive UK and General Manager Humber Refinery, said:

Phillips 66 Humber Refinery is proud to supply British Airways with sustainable aviation fuel.  We were the first in the UK to co-process waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale. We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start.

The strategic collaboration and supply agreement confirm each companies’ commitment to a lower carbon future.  The production of SAF is just one of a number of decarbonisation projects we are currently progressing, and we are excited by the role that we play in supplying the UK with the fuels it needs, both now and in the future.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted:

British Airways Speedbird Café menu app

British Airways customers can now also join the airline on its journey to reach net zero by 2050 through its onboard Speedbird Café menu app.

A new category can be found on the BA Better World tab labelled ‘Contribute to Carbon Offsets’, where customers on short-haul European flights can help fund carbon reduction projects around the world.

The £2.50 contribution represents the carbon compensation of an average British Airways European return flight per customer, and the funds are invested in verified CO2 emissions reduction and avoidance projects.

Launching BA Better World in September 2021, British Airways made a commitment to create a better, more sustainable future with a focus on people, planet and responsible business. Today the airline is publishing its latest sustainability report looking back at the milestones and achievements of the last year and has also launched its new sustainability docuseries, with the first video being all about SAF. 

Dave

British Airways and Phillips 66 Limited sign first-ever UK-produced sustainable aviation fuel supply agreement

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British Airways will become the first airline in the world to use sustainable aviation fuel produced on a commercial scale in the UK after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66 Limited.

Thousands of tonnes of SAF will be produced for the first time in the UK at the Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham and will be supplied to British Airways to power a number of its flights from early 2022. 

The airline, which is driving to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, will purchase enough sustainable fuel to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, the equivalent of powering 700 net zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on its fuel-efficient Boeing 787 aircraft.

The SAF will be produced from sustainable waste feedstock at the Humber Refinery, which will deliver its SAF supply to British Airways via existing pipeline infrastructure that feeds directly into UK airports.

Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive, said:

This agreement marks another important step on our journey to net zero carbon emissions and forms part of our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group, to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030.

The UK has the resources and capabilities to be a global leader in the development of SAF and scaling up the production of SAF requires a truly collaborative approach between industry and government.

We are excited to develop our relationship with Phillips 66 Limited further with a view to growing production capacity and using a wider range of sustainable waste feedstocks to supply our future flights.

The development of sustainable aviation fuel is a major focus for us and forms part of our commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 through a series of short-, medium- and long-term initiatives.

The airline’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), is investing $400 million over 20 years into the development of SAF.

British Airways has existing partnerships with a number of technology and fuel companies to develop SAF plants and purchase the fuel.

The airline claims SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by over 80% compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces.

Darren Cunningham, General Manager of the Humber Refinery and UK Director of Phillips 66

Humber Refinery General Manager Darren Cunningham, the Lead Executive for Phillips 66 in the UK, said the announcement reflects the importance the aviation and energy industries are placing on sustainability and the continued development, adoption and scaling up of sustainable aviation fuel.

He said:

The Humber Refinery was the first in the UK to co-process waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale, and we are delighted British Airways is our first UK customer.

We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start.

Markets for lower-carbon products are growing, and this agreement demonstrates our ability to supply them.

This agreement with British Airways aligns with our strategy to create a refinery of the future, where we’re producing fuels from waste, being a critical part of the electric vehicle supply chain, reducing the carbon intensity of our processes through carbon capture and using hydrogen to power the refinery.

It secures long-term business in an ever-changing world

Last year Phillips 66 Limited invested significantly to expand its production of fuels from waste feedstocks. The investment is part of a broader energy transition plan to reduce the carbon intensity of its refinery operations and products that support 1,000 Humber Refinery jobs.