Emirates and Neste are taking their partnership to the next level by agreeing to supply over 3 million gallons of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for Emirates’ flights in 2024 and 2025. This fuel will be used for flights leaving from Amsterdam Schiphol and Singapore Changi airports. This deal marks the largest amount of SAF that any airline in the Middle East and Africa has committed to using so far.
A Milestone in Green Aviation
The SAF will be mixed with conventional jet fuel, creating a blend that includes over one million gallons of neat SAF. This blend will have a ratio of over 30% neat SAF to conventional Jet A-1 fuel. Tim Clark, President of Emirates, emphasized that this move accelerates the use of SAF in Emirates’ operations. “Today’s announcement is a milestone for Emirates and represents the acceleration of SAF procurement for our operations,” he said. The airline is also focusing on other ways to cut down its carbon emissions, such as operating fuel-efficient planes and renewing its fleet starting in 2024.
Before 2024 rolls around, Emirates plans to start using SAF at its Dubai hub for the first time. SAF can cut carbon emissions by up to 80% over its life cycle compared to regular jet fuel. Emirates has been a pioneer in this area, completing the first 100% SAF-powered demo flight in the region earlier this year. The airline first used SAF blended with jet fuel on a flight from Chicago in 2017 and has since used it for flights from various other cities like Stockholm, Paris, Lyon, and Oslo.
Industry Collaboration and Government Initiatives
Emirates is not working alone; it’s part of various industry and UAE government groups aiming to scale up SAF production. The airline has been in ongoing talks with different stakeholders and has played a significant role in developing the UAE’s power-to-liquid fuels roadmap. This is in addition to contributing to the UAE’s National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap, which was launched in January 2023.
Emirates and Neste are setting an example in the use of sustainable aviation fuel. With plans to use over 3 million gallons of SAF in the next couple of years, Emirates is making a significant commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. The airline is also actively involved in various initiatives and partnerships to promote the use of SAF, not just within its operations but across the aviation sector.
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