Airbus and Neste join forces on SAF development to decarbonise aerospace

Toulouse, 30 November 2022 – Airbus and Neste, a world-leading producer of renewable fuels, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly advance the production and uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Both parties share a vision that SAF is a key solution to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions of air travel. This collaboration aims to accelerate the aviation sector’s transition to SAF.

Neste and Airbus recognize that one of the biggest challenges in accelerating SAF use is the ramp-up of SAF production. This collaboration is laying the foundation for both Airbus and Neste to drive SAF development across the global aviation industry. It will allow the partners to explore business opportunities together and jointly promote the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel. The focus will be on the technical development of SAF, fuel approval and testing of current and future production technologies, and investigating how "100% SAF" use can be enabled.

“SAF is one of aerospace’s most promising decarbonisation solutions that can be used in both in-service aircraft fleets and those of tomorrow. We are honoured to be partnering with Neste to drive forward the development and uptake of SAF, to stimulate the creation of a commercially viable market for renewable aviation fuels,” says Julie Kitcher, EVP Communications and Corporate Affairs, Airbus. “All Airbus aircraft are already certified for flying with up to 50% SAF and this partnership will be instrumental to reaching certification for up to 100% SAF before the end of the decade.”

“Neste is at the forefront of accelerating the aviation sector’s journey to a more sustainable future. That journey requires cooperation across the industry’s value chain. This collaboration with Airbus connects a pioneer in the aerospace industry with a leader in renewable fuels. The combined knowledge and expertise of the companies will help advance the use and availability of SAF as a means of transitioning aviation towards more sustainable energy sources and reducing the climate impact of aviation,” said Thorsten Lange, Executive Vice President, Renewable Aviation at Neste.

This is the second collaboration between Airbus and the energy provider Neste after the ‘Emission and Climate Impact of Alternative Fuels’ (ECLIF3) exploration on SAF with German research centre DLR. With this MoU, Airbus and Neste will be further working on the technical aspects of the challenge to reach the 100% SAF certification. 

The whole ecosystem is playing an essential role to ensure the increased uptake of SAF. Besides working on the technical aspects, Neste and Airbus will therefore investigate concrete SAF projects and business opportunities across the world with airlines and other stakeholders.