British Airways Takes Delivery of First Batch of SAF Produced in UK

(29 Mar 2022, 11:49 +07)  British Airways has taken delivery of the first batch of sustainable aviation fuel produced by Phillips 66 in the UK.

The SAF, produced at the Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham, is made from sustainable waste feedstock.

BA will add the fuel into the existing pipeline infrastructure that directly feeds several UK airports, including London Heathrow.

“Being the first airline to source sustainable aviation fuel produced at commercial scale in the UK is another breakthrough moment for us and the airline industry,” said Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive. “Our supplies of SAF from Phillips 66 will allow us to progress with our ambitious roadmap to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner, and will play a role in our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group (IAG), to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030.”

British Airways Boeing 787-8 reg: G-ZBJM. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

The sustainable aviation fuel bought by the airline will be enough to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, enough to power 700 net zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on BA's Boeing 787 aircraft.

“Progressing the development and commercial scale up of sustainable aviation fuel will be a game changer and crucial to reducing the aviation sector’s reliance on fossil fuels and improving the UK’s energy supply resilience. I’m confident that Britain can take a leading role on the global stage in this space, creating green jobs and export opportunities, if industry, developers and Government continue to collaborate and make it a key focus area,” added Doyle.

Both companies support Government plans for a future SAF mandate and a business model for investing in advanced waste to jet fuel projects through participation in the Department for Transport’s Jet Zero Council Delivery Group.

International Airlines Group (IAG), the airline’s parent company, is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF and British Airways has existing partnerships with several companies to develop plants and purchase the sustainable fuel.

Darren Cunningham, Lead Executive UK and General Manager Humber Refinery, said, “We were the first in the UK to co-process waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale. We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start ... The production of SAF is just one of a number of decarbonisation projects we are currently progressing, and we are excited by the role that we play in supplying the UK with the fuels it needs, both now and in the future.”

British Airways, a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, flies to around 1,000 destinations in more than 65 countries.

See also: Exclusive Travel Industry Interview with Kurt Ekert, President of Sabre.