Repsol to supply SAF to Atlas Air, Inditex
Flights from Zaragoza Airport (Spain) carried out by Atlas Air for Inditex use SAF produced by Repsol
Repsol, a multi-energy company committed to leading the energy transition, has begun supplying sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Atlas Air for use in all its flights with its customer Inditex from Zaragoza Airport (Spain).
"Beginning in November, Atlas Air is initially incorporating five percent SAF in all its flights," says a release from Atlas Air.
The agreement makes New York-based Atlas Air the first cargo airline to use SAF regularly on its cargo flights in Spain, the release added. "The initiative is in line with the companies’ commitments to achieve their respective carbon footprint reduction goals, and also positions them to comply with anticipated compliance measures included in the ReFuelEU Aviation regulations that require use of two percent renewable fuels in 2025, six percent in 2030 and 70 percent in 2050, respectively."
Richard Broekman, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Sustainability, Atlas Air says: “We are committed to contributing to the sustainability of the aviation sector, and appreciate this opportunity to work with our valued partners at Inditex and Repsol. It is critical for our sector to work together in driving wider adoption and availability of SAF, which ultimately will have a positive impact on our industry and the environment.”
Óliver Fernández, Director, International Aviation, Repsol adds: “With this agreement, we take another step in the decarbonisation of aviation. We show that SAF is the future but also the present. With the upcoming launch of our new advanced biofuels plant in Cartagena (Spain), we are ready to supply the sector with the SAF it needs to realise its decarbonisation ambitions."
Aena, responsible for the management of the Zaragoza Airport, will participate proactively in the promotion and integration of SAF to promote their production and encourage their consumption, the release added.
"Repsol will start up its first plant dedicated exclusively to the production of advanced biofuels in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the first plants of its kind in Europe at its industrial complex in Cartagena (Spain). Repsol has invested more than €200 million in the construction of the plant. It will have a production capacity of 250,000 tonnes of SAF and renewable diesel per year, produced from various types of residues, mainly used cooking oil and waste from the agri-food industry, and will reduce 900,000 tonnes of CO2 per year."
Total SAF production worldwide was 240,000 tonnes in 2022, according to IATA. In 2025, approximately 120,000 tonnes will be needed in Spain to cover the two percent obligation of RefuelEU Aviation, the release added.
