One of the world’s largest airlines, Emirates, has received its largest order to date of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Shell Aviation for its flights at London Heathrow Airport. Over 3,000 metric tons of neat SAF blended with traditional jet fuel will be supplied to the airline’s refueling system at Heathrow Airport for flights through the end of summer 2024.
With this purchase, the largest volume of SAF to date, Emirates is joining London Heathrow Airport’s SAF incentive program, which provides affordable pricing and accessibility for airlines. This marks the first time Emirates will use SAF on some of its flights from London.
The airline will track the sustainability characteristics of the SAF delivered to London Heathrow Airport using strong reporting methodologies. The SAF purchased from Shell Aviation can be safely added to existing jet engines and airport fueling infrastructure and can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel when used neat.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, commented: “At Emirates, we are eager to take the next step in our SAF journey with the support of Shell Aviation and London Heathrow in this fuel supply agreement for one of our largest operations outside Dubai. The LHR Incentive Program will support the growing momentum of the SAF market, making it more commercially viable for airlines like Emirates to benefit from this program.”
He added, “Heathrow’s SAF initiative is a credible action to encourage the adoption and use of SAF by airlines, develop production capacities based on real demand, and expand the blending, processing, and distribution capabilities throughout the supply chain. We hope this initiative will garner collective support from government officials to ensure more investment in SAF production in the future. As we continue to explore opportunities to increase SAF usage within our flight network, we remain focused on reducing emissions through various initiatives, including optimizing flight operations by reducing aircraft weight and determining more efficient flight routes.”
Raman Ojha, President of Shell Aviation, said: “Following our successful collaboration to supply SAF to Emirates in Dubai (DXB) last year, we are pleased to continue supporting their sustainability journey by reducing carbon emissions on their UK-originating flights. This development also indicates progress in expanding our global SAF supply network. We aim to work with forward-thinking players like Emirates and London Heathrow to make SAF more widely available around the world.”
Ross Baker, Heathrow’s Chief Commercial Officer, added: “We are excited to support Emirates with Heathrow’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program. SAF is crucial for decarbonizing long-haul flights because it can reduce carbon emissions on routes from London to Dubai without the need for new aircraft or infrastructure. With the commitments from airlines like Emirates, we expect to support the use of up to 155,000 tons of SAF at Heathrow this year. Now, with more airlines transitioning to sustainable fuels, we need to increase SAF production in the UK to benefit from employment, growth, and energy security.”
Launched in 2022, the London Heathrow SAF Incentive Program stands out by providing a support mechanism that reduces the price difference between traditional jet fuel and SAF by about 50%. Similar programs at London Heathrow aim to accelerate supportive government policies and open up investments in clean energy, such as SAF production, enhancing the UK’s competitive edge.
Emirates’ SAF strategy focuses on exploring operational opportunities to use SAF across its network, sharing emission costs with corporate customers or freight companies where feasible, collaborating on long-term SAF projects with reputable partners, and supporting SAF initiatives with the potential to supply SAF to its hub in the UAE.
Emirates currently operates SAF-powered flights from Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon, and Oslo. Last year, the airline collaborated with Shell Aviation to integrate SAF into Dubai Airport’s refueling system for a series of flights. The airline plans to work with local partners to supply SAF through Singapore Changi Airport’s refueling systems in May this year.
Earlier this year, Emirates became the first international airline to join the Solent Cluster in the UK, a low-carbon investment initiative that could potentially establish a SAF facility capable of producing up to 200,000 tons (200 kt) annually by 2032.
Since 1987, Emirates has been operating in the UK and currently offers 131 weekly flights, including six daily A380 flights to London Heathrow (plus five weekly flights with Boeing 777 aircraft until October 26, 2024), three daily A380 flights to Gatwick, two daily flights to Stansted, three daily A380 flights to Manchester, two daily flights to Birmingham (including daily A380 services), and daily flights to Newcastle and Glasgow with A380 aircraft.
*When used neat (unblended) and calculated with established lifecycle assessment (LCA) methodologies like CORSIA.
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