Saudi Arabia’s Aramco, French energy giant TotalEnergies, and the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) have joined forces to explore the development of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Saudi Arabia’s eastern province. The agreement, announced during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the kingdom, marks a step toward sustainable energy solutions in aviation.
The partnership aims to use advanced engineering and recycling technologies to convert local waste materials such as used cooking oil and animal fats into synthetic aviation fuels, offering an alternative to fossil-based jet fuel.
Amin Nasser, Aramco’s president and CEO, expressed the company’s commitment to emissions reduction. “We already have a strong partnership with TotalEnergies, and this collaboration highlights our shared commitment to sustainability. Together with SIRC, we aim to assess the establishment of an SAF plant in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
This initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, which emphasize sustainability across key sectors like aviation and tourism. If successful, the plant could address the growing global demand for low-carbon aviation solutions.
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne highlighted the strategic importance of SAF. “Sustainable aviation fuel is central to our company’s transition strategy. By combining our expertise, we aim to decarbonize air transport and meet the aviation industry’s sustainability goals,” he said.
The aviation industry, responsible for approximately 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions, is under pressure to adopt greener practices. SAF can reduce emissions by up to 85% over its lifecycle compared to conventional jet fuel, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Despite its potential, SAF currently meets just 0.53% of the aviation sector’s fuel needs. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that SAF will play a significant role in achieving 65% of the emissions reduction needed by the industry by 2050.
Ziad Al-Sheha, CEO of SIRC, emphasized the project’s importance for resource conversion. “We are committed to increasing waste conversion into renewable resources. This partnership represents a significant leap in our mission to support renewable aviation fuels,” he said.
In a related development, Abu Dhabi’s Masdar and TotalEnergies recently explored an SAF project using methanol produced from green hydrogen. The collaboration, which included a successful test flight during the COP28 climate conference, demonstrated methanol’s potential as a SAF feedstock.
To read more about Sustainable Aviation Fuel Industry News continue reading Bioenergytimes.com
