As a result of collaborative work with Repsol, Iberia used biofuel on three long-range flights, the company stated. The biojet, produced in 2021 from waste at the Petronor refinery in Bilbao, was used for the first time in the Airbus A330-200 that operated the company’s inaugural flight between Madrid-Barajas (MAD) and Washington-Dulles (IAD).
The same biofuel was used today on inaugural flights to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and San Francisco (SFO). According to the company, long-haul operations with a low carbon footprint «represent a new step forward in the airline industry’s green transition». Implementation on the three flights reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 125 tons.
The joint work initiative between Iberia and Repsol began in July 2021. Both companies worked on the AVIATOR project, to analyze the impact of aviation emissions on air quality at different airports. They will also collaborate on the development of alternative energy projects in Spain. In November, Iberia completed its first biofuel-powered flight between Madrid and Bilbao.
As agreed, they will continue working to achieve up to 50% utilization of fuel produced from waste and thus continue to mitigate emissions. They also plan to incorporate hydrotreated vegetable oil to support the operations of airport service vehicles.
Javier Sánchez-Prieto, President of Iberia, commented that «aviation faces a challenge, which can only be met by taking steps like today’s, to promote the production of fuels of sustainable origin in sufficient quantity and at competitive prices, so that this will allow us to advance in the ecological transition of the airline industry».
The strategic agreement also includes a roadmap for the promotion of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) over the coming years. Iberia highlighted that the use of 2% of SAF on flights to Washington, D.C., Dallas, and San Francisco is ahead of the obligation that the European Union will set for 2025, when it will require the same proportion in all operations.
See also: Iberia inaugurates flights between Madrid and Washington, D.C.
