The British airline, Virgin Atlantic, recently announced an agreement with oil company Neste for the supply of 2.5 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel -SAF- for the first half of 2022. Therefore, ExxonMobil will be responsible for its distribution at London-Heathrow airport.
According to the oil company that is to say, «Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ is made from sustainably sourced waste and renewable raw materials. As a result, in its pure form, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% life cycle compared to conventional fossil fuel.»
Furthermore, Virgin Atlantic seeks to make strong progress towards the goal of 10% of its flights being operated with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030. Furthermore, this pact is part of a wider collaboration between the airline and Neste to increase the availability and use of SAF in the UK.
Notes of Virgin Atlantic statement:
«With a track record as a leader in sustainability for over a decade, Virgin Atlantic is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Today, 100 percent of its fleet is twin-engine. And 70 percent next-generation, making it one of the youngest and most sustainably fuel-efficient fleets in the skies. This follows a multi-billion dollar fleet renewal program that has already achieved a 20% reduction in carbon emissions between 2007 and 2019,» says a statement issued by the airline.
Holly Boyd-Boland declarations:
Virgin Atlantic’s Vice President of Corporate Development, says: «After fleet renewal, SAF represents the biggest opportunity to decarbonize aviation in the short to medium term. This delivery means the start of commercial SAF at scale for Virgin Atlantic. Although it is only sufficient to operate 140 flights between London and New York, it is a starting point.»
Moreover, Boyd-Boland added that «to reach our 10 percent UAS target by 2030, we need to deliver this volume more than seventy times. This requires cross-sector and government action to support the large-scale commercialization of UAS. Particularly in the UK. We will continue to work closely with Neste and ExxonMobil. And at the same time with wider industry partners, to find innovative solutions to achieve this goal.»
Jonathan Wood:
Meanwhile, Jonathan Wood, Vice President of Renewable Aviation at Neste, said, «We are delighted to provide Virgin Atlantic with our Neste MY Aviation Fuel sustainable aviation fuel. Neste is committed to working alongside the aviation industry to achieve its emissions reduction targets. We stand ready to support the aviation industry. The UK government’s policy ambitions are to increase the use of SAF by at least 10% by 2030. We need to act now: PBS is a proven solution with clear climate benefits and it is already available today.»
Paul Greenwood:
On the other hand, Paul Greenwood, chairman of Esso UK Ltd (a subsidiary of ExxonMobil), said, «We are proud to play our part in this pioneering agreement, which facilitates a safe and reliable supply of low-emission jet fuel through our dedicated pipeline network.»
Final words:
Above all, SAF is in other words, one of the main solutions to contribute to the near-term decarbonization of the industry. Finally, in addition to reducing CO2 emissions by around 80% compared to conventional fossil fuels, SAF requires no modifications to the distribution and supply of fuel to airports or aircraft.
See also: Virgin Atlantic and LATAM Airlines sign new codeshare agreement
