LONDON- Flag carrier of UAE, Emirates (EK), has received sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Shell Aviation at London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
Over 3,000 metric tonnes of neat SAF, blended with conventional jet fuel, will be supplied to the airport’s fuelling infrastructure network until the end of summer 2024.
Emirates SAF Flights from London
This marks the first time the airline will use SAF for some of its flights at London Heathrow and is the largest volume of SAF it has purchased so far.
Emirates is part of London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive Programme, which ensures affordability and accessibility for airlines operating at the airport.
The airline will track and report the delivery and sustainability attributes of SAF at London Heathrow through robust methodologies.
The SAF purchased from Shell Aviation will be integrated into the existing airport fuelling infrastructure and aircraft jet engines. In its pure form, SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.
Executive Remarks
Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer of Emirates Airline, stated:
“Emirates is excited to take this next step in our SAF journey with the support of Shell Aviation and London Heathrow. This fuel supply arrangement supports one of our largest operations outside of Dubai. The LHR Incentive Programme will bolster the SAF market’s momentum, enabling airlines like Emirates to leverage its availability and enhance its commercial viability.”
“London Heathrow’s SAF initiative demonstrates effective action to scale up and promote the use of SAF by airlines, fostering local production capabilities based on real demand and developing the supply chain to blend, handle, and distribute SAF more broadly. We hope this initiative gains the collective support of government authorities to drive more investment in SAF production. As Emirates seeks to increase SAF use across our network, we will continue to implement other emission reduction measures, focusing on optimizing flight operations, reducing aircraft weight, and charting more efficient flight routes.”
Raman Ojha, President of Shell Aviation, added:
“Following our successful collaboration with Emirates to supply SAF to Dubai (DXB) last year, we are pleased to support their sustainability journey by enabling the airline to decarbonize flights out of the UK. This marks further progress in expanding our global SAF supply network. Our goal is to continue working with forward-thinking players in the aviation industry, like Emirates and London Heathrow, to make SAF available in more locations worldwide.”
Ross Baker, Chief Commercial Officer of Heathrow, said:
“We are thrilled to support Emirates with Heathrow’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) scheme. SAF is crucial for decarbonizing long-haul flights as it can reduce carbon emissions on routes like London to Dubai without requiring new aircraft or infrastructure. Thanks to commitments from airlines like Emirates, we expect to support the use of up to 155,000 tonnes of SAF at Heathrow this year. We now need to increase SAF production in the UK to benefit from jobs, growth, and energy security as more airlines transition to sustainable fuels.”
Vision for a Green Future
Introduced in 2022, London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive marks the inception of a pioneering scheme aimed at bridging the price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF by approximately 50%.
Initiatives like the one at London Heathrow are designed to expedite supportive governmental policies, enhancing the UK’s competitiveness by stimulating investment in clean energy endeavors such as SAF production.
Emirates’ SAF strategy centers on exploring operational SAF utilization opportunities across its network, sharing emissions costs with corporate clients or freight forwarders where feasible, collaborating on long-term SAF initiatives with reputable partners, and endorsing SAF ventures in the UAE capable of supplying Sustainable Aviation Fuel at its hub.
Emirates presently operates SAF-powered flights from Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon, and Oslo. Last year, in a groundbreaking move, the airline partnered with Shell Aviation to introduce SAF into Dubai Airport’s fuelling infrastructure, allocating it to several flights.
In May of this year, Emirates plans to collaborate with local partners at Singapore Changi Airport to integrate SAF into the airport’s fuelling systems.
Earlier this year, Emirates made history by becoming the first international carrier to join the Solent Cluster in the UK, an initiative dedicated to low-carbon investments.
The initiative aims to establish a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant capable of producing up to 200,000 tonnes annually by 2032 if operational.
The Solent Cluster comprises a cross-sector collaboration of international entities, including manufacturers, engineering firms, regional businesses, logistics operators, infrastructure entities, and academic institutions.
131 Weekly Flights
Emirates has maintained operations in the UK since 1987, serving seven gateways with a total of 131 weekly flights, which include:
- Six times daily A380 flights to London Heathrow (with an additional five times weekly utilizing the Boeing 777 aircraft until October 26, 2024).
- Three times daily A380 service to Gatwick.
- Twice daily service to Stansted.
- Three times daily A380 service to Manchester.
- Twice daily service to Birmingham (including a daily A380 service).
- Daily service to Newcastle.
- Daily A380 service to Glasgow.
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