British Airways has reached a milestone in its path to sustainable aviation growth. Indeed, BA has signed a deal with a US-based energy company that will start to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the UK.
The deal
British Airways continues its path to become more eco-friendly. It has established a partnership with the Houston-based energy company Phillips 66. The latter will start producing waste-based SAF at a plant in the UK, which is located in Immingham, Lincolnshire. The British-made SAF is expected to power an undisclosed number of BA aircraft from early 2022.
A milestone for BA
Such a deal is a milestone for BA and the UK aviation industry. BA will be the first airline in the UK to use SAF produced on a commercial scale.
The thousand of tonnes of eco-friendly fuel produced in Immingham will power BA flights, contributing to the airline’s aim of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. On the other hand, British Airways’ parent company, IAG, is committed to supplying SAF to 10% of its flights by 2030.
The source
Phillips 66 will produce SAF from a sustainable waste feedstock, and it will be delivered to BA via existing pipelines directly connected to UK airports served by the airline.
The president of the airline, Sean Doyle, has commented on the crucial deal singed:
The UK has the resources and capabilities to be a global leader in the development of SAF, and scaling up the production of SAF requires a truly collaborative approach between industry and government”.
The carrier, says Doyle, is committed to strengthening the commercial relationship with the company in an attempt to steer up production capacity and widen the sources used to produce SAF.
Humber Refinery, the Immingham plant, was the first one in the UK to co-process water oils to produce renewable fuels. About half a million liters of sustainable waste feedstock are currently refined at the plant, so the general manager, Darren Cunningham.
Future outlook
Not only is IAG now investing $400 million in the development of SAF, but it is also partnering up with fuel providers, including LanzaJet and Velocys. BA’s parent company sees the potential to build 14 SAF plants in the UK. However, government support will be needed to reach this goal.
What do you think of BA’s next step in achieving zero-net carbon emissions? Let us know in the comment below!
