Summary

  • Emirates expands the use of SAF to London Heathrow, joining the airport’s SAF Incentive Programme for affordability and accessibility.
  • The deal will see 3,000 metric tonnes of SAF reaching London Heathrow by summer 2024, in collaboration with Shell Aviation.
  • Emirates is doing its bit in SAF adoption, collaborating with various airports and partners to boost sustainability efforts.

Emirates is expanding SAF opportunities across its network and has now added London Heathrow to the list of destinations where it operates flights using sustainable aviation fuel. With this, the carrier has become part of London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive Programme, which strives for affordability and accessibility for airlines operating at the airport.

Emirates Heathrow SAF

Photo: Emirates

SAF for some of Emirates’ Heathrow flights

Emirates has announced that it has taken delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Shell Aviation at London Heathrow Airport. Giving an overview of the months ahead, Emirates added that more than 3,000 metric tonnes of neat SAF, blended with conventional jet fuel, will make its way to the fueling infrastructure network of the airport until the end of summer 2024. Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer, Emirates, commented,

“Emirates is eager to take this next step in our SAF journey with Shell Aviation and London Heathrow supporting us with this fuel supply arrangement in one of our biggest operations outside of Dubai.”

The carrier will be using SAF for the first time to power some of its flights at London Heathrow and will be accounting for, tracking, and tracing the delivery of SAF there using efficient reporting methodologies. The sustainable fuel purchased from Shell will be supplied to the existing airport fueling infrastructure and will eventually reach the aircraft jet engines.

Related

How SAF Can Become Cost Competitive Against Conventional Fuel

Numerous operators have raised issues with the price of sustainable fuels.

London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive

A first-of-its-kind scheme, London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive was launched in 2022 with the aim of providing a support mechanism to reduce the significant price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF by around 50%.

According to Ross Baker, Chief Commercial Officer, Heathrow, with commitments from airlines like Emirates, the airport expects to support the use of up to 155,000 tonnes of SAF this year. Heathrow’s SAF initiative is expected to support UK government policies and help promote clean energy investments.

Emirates A380 at London Heathrow

Photo: Emirates

The UK government has mandated a high 10% SAF target for all flights departing from the nation by the end of the decade and an ambitious goal of 22% SAF by 2040. These new rules will take effect by the start of next year.

Emirates doing its bit

Emirates’ deal with London Heathrow represents the largest volume of SAF it has purchased to date. London is the latest addition to its growing destinations where it uses SAF to operate flights. It already deploys aircraft powered by SAF to Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon and Oslo.

Related

Emirates Fuels Up With SAF At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

To invest the billions needed, the SAF industry must find more committed customers and enthusiastic partners like Emirates.

In 2023, the airline also collaborated with Shell Aviation to supply SAF into Dubai Airport fueling systems for the first time. In May of this year, Emirates will also work with local partners at Singapore Changi Airport for the supply of SAF through the airport’s fueling systems.

Emirates Boeing 777

Photo: Soos Jozsef | Shutterstock

This year, Emirates also became the first international airline to join the Solent Cluster in the UK. This initiative, focused on low-carbon investments, aims to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant that can produce up to 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year if operational by 2032.

What do you think about Emirates’ latest investment in SAF? Please leave a comment below.


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    London Heathrow Airport

    IATA/ICAO Code:
    LHR-EGLL

    Country:
    United Kingdom

    CEO:
    John Holland-Kaye

    Passenger Count :
    19,392,178 (2021)

    Runways :
    09L/27R – 3,902m (12,802ft) |
    09R/27L – 3,660m (12,008ft)

    Terminals:
    Terminal 2 |
    Terminal 3 |
    Terminal 4 |
    Terminal 5

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