Firms target production of sustainable aviation fuel

Masdar, ADNOC, bp, Tadweer (Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company) and Etihad Airways are championing the production of sustainable available fuel as part of efforts to achieve climate goals in the aviation industry.

The decision, announced at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) would see the global organisations turn municipal solid waste and renewable hydrogen to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Of the 43 billion tonnes of CO2 emission produced globally in 2019, flights were responsible for the production of 915 million tonnes of CO2.

The SAF is expected to reduce this fufu by helping to decarbonize the aviation industry worldwide.

The new pact is expected to immediately begin with a joint feasibility study on exploring the production in the UAE of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other products, such as renewable diesel and naphtha, using municipal solid waste (MSW) and renewable hydrogen.

The companies said the feasibility study would leverage the capabilities of the five partners to evaluate the technical and commercial viability of such a project.

If the study’s conclusions are positive, the partners would target working toward developing the region’s first commercial-scale production capacity in Abu Dhabi.

Produced from sustainable feedstocks, such as municipal solid waste and renewable hydrogen, SAF has the potential to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions on average by up to 80 percent during its full lifecycle, compared to conventional jet fuel, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

This collaboration is designed to strengthen the UAE’s leadership position in low-carbon energy and technology-driven industrial growth and will mark an important step in assessing the UAE’s potential to become a global leader in SAF production.

Aviation is a key industry in the UAE, supporting over 13 percent of the national gross domestic product according to IATA economic data, and is set to continue to grow in the next decades.

It is reported that SAF is currently the most viable proposition to help decarbonize the aviation industry and has the potential to supply international markets.