KLM plans to fly on sustainable bio-kerosene by 2022. The company has agreed to build a new factory to produce this environmentally friendly kerosene. To this end, it is working with supplier SkyNRG and SHV Energy. The plant should be operational by 2022.
In the factory, where it all has to be done, oily residues are converted into bio-kerosene by means of a hydrogen process. The site will be built in the Dutch city of Delfzijl in Groningen and will be large enough to produce 100,000 liters of bio-kerosene per year. “KLM would use no less than 75,000 liters of it, which is equivalent to 1000 flights from Amsterdam to Rio de Janeiro”, according to KLM-CEO Mr. Elbers.
The company behind the factory, SkyNRG, has other ambitions than just to supply KLM with sustainable fuel. He is convinced that more will be invested in this type of factory in the future. This could be the first of many in Europe and, according to SkyNRG’s CEO, this is one of the most sustainable in the world.
Bio-fuels are increasingly being used by airlines. This is quite normal because the environmental standards become increasingly stringent. Etihad Airways and United Airlines, among others, have been flying with bio-fuels for some time now. There are many advantages by using bio-fuel. It reduce the emission of harmful substances such as CO2, but it is also an alternative to fossil fuels, and that means that the supplies of fossil fuels are spared.
Bio-fuels are not completely new for the Dutch airline. In recent years, they have made regular use of it to carry out various flights in Europe.
The development of biofuels in aviation is certainly not a bad thing for the environment. The sector is a major air pollutant, despite the fact that new aircraft are increasingly being equipped with more economical, quieter but also cleaner engines.
The total price tag for the construction of this factory is around 260 million euros. Hopefully more and more airlines will consider using biofuel in the future.
