Aerospace giant Airbus and energy company TotalEnergies today announced the launch of a new strategic partnership, which aims to promote the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and support the decarbonization of aviation with the aim of achieving net carbon neutrality for the sector by 2050.
Fuel is responsible for the vast majority of emissions in the aviation sector. Generally produced from sustainable resources such as used oils and agricultural waste, SAF is seen as one of the key tools to help decarbonize the aviation industry, with life-cycle GHG emissions substantially lower than those of fuels. conventional. However, efforts to significantly increase the use of SAF by airlines face significant challenges, including the low supply currently available on the market and prices much higher than conventional fossil fuels.
Under the new partnership, TotalEnergies will supply Airbus SAF for more than half of its needs in Europe, and the companies will also collaborate on a research and development program that aims to develop 100% sustainable fuels adapted to the design of current and future aircraft. and study the impact of SAF composition on reducing emissions, as well as non-CO2 related effects, such as contrails.
Airbus has set a number of SAF-related targets, including targets to achieve 15% SAF in its global fuel mix by 2024 and at least 30% by 2030. The company used 11 million liters of SAF in 2023, exceeding its target 10% use of SAF in the year. Airbus aircraft are currently capable of flying with mixtures of up to 50% SAF, while the company anticipates that its aircraft will be capable of flying with up to 100% SAF.
Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, said:
“Accelerating the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels is essential if we are to meet our targets for reducing aviation carbon emissions by 2030. This partnership between Airbus and TotalEnergies demonstrates the will of aerospace manufacturers and leading producers and suppliers of energy from working together to achieve this goal. challenge. We are determined to meet our decarbonisation targets and ensure that aviation can continue to play its valuable role for society in the future.”
The new partnership follows an announcement by TotalEnergies last year of new targets to scale sustainable aviation fuel production, including an expectation to reach capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year by 2028, and a target to produce 1.5 million tonnes per year until 2030. TotalEnergies said the SAF it provides can reduce up to 90% of lifecycle CO2 emissions compared to equivalent fossil fuels.
Patrick Pouyanné, President and CEO of TotalEnergies, said:
“The development of sustainable aviation fuels is at the heart of our company’s transition strategy. We are happy to form a strategic alliance with Airbus to play our part together in the challenge of decarbonizing aviation. TotalEnergies has been working hard to respond to the sector’s new demand for a reduced carbon footprint.”
