A few days after seeing its carbon emission reduction targets validated by the SBTi initiative - i.e. -30% by 2030 - , Air France-KLM is building on its momentum with the announcement of an order for sustainable aviation fuel from TotalEnergies, adding to a number of other orders. previous orders placed at the end of October with Neste and DG Fuels. The airline group has signed a memorandum of understanding with the French energy company to the supply of 800,000 tonnes of SAFThe order is for Sustainable Aviation Fuel to power flights out of France and the Netherlands. The order covers a period of 10 years, from 2023, and is for RSBi or ISCCii certified sustainable fuel, i.e. not produced from palm oil and not competing with human or animal food.
This agreement continues the long-standing relationship between Air France-KLM and the energy company. Back in 2014, Total helped supply SAF to several test flights on domestic routes between Paris-Orly and Nice and Toulouse. More recently, in 2021, two flights - one long-haul between Paris and Montreal and the other in France, between Paris and Nice - carried 16% of SAF. Finally, in June 2022, as part of the Connecting Europe DaysSeveral flights organised by Air France-KLM Group airlines were supplied with 30% of SAF.
This order contributes to the development of a sustainable aviation fuel production chain, eagerly awaited by the entire air transport industryEnergy suppliers are often singled out for the slowness of its implementation in France. " The development of biofuels is one of our company's strategic priorities." said Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, whose ambition is to produce 1.5 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
The fuel supplied to Air France-KLM will be produced by TotalEnergies' biorefineries, including the one at Grandpuits in Seine-et-Marne, a former refinery converted to sustainable energies which will have an SAF production capacity of 210,000 tonnes a year. " This memorandum of understanding signed with TotalEnergies is a further step towards the emergence of a French industry capable of meeting the needs of airlines, which is essential if we are to succeed in decarbonising our business." said Benjamin Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Air France-KLM.
At a time when the big names in the airline industry are taking it in turns to secure their supplies of sustainable aviation fuel to accelerate the sector's decarbonisation, another major contract was signed at the beginning of December. between Ryanair and Shell. " FAS plays a key role in our Pathway to Net Zero strategy, as well as our commitment to achieve a target of 12.5 % of FAS by 2030. Today's agreement with Shell enables Ryanair to secure access to around 20 % of this ambitious target." said Thomas Fowler, Director of Sustainable Development for the Irish airline. The European leader in low-cost air transport, which is aiming for zero net emissions by 2050, will be able to count on 360,000 tonnes supplied by Shell, notably at its main bases in Dublin and London Stansted. This is the equivalent of more than 70,000 flights from Dublin to Milan, saving around 900,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
