Emirates has launched a test flight, the first in the world to use 100% sustainable aviation fuel in one of the four engines of the Airbus A380, as part of the carrier’s ongoing initiatives to strengthen the UAE’s commitment to reducing emissions in the aviation sector.
The aircraft took off from Dubai International Airport yesterday morning, led by Captain Khalid bin Sultan and captain Philippe lompette, after equipping one of its engines Engin Alliance GP7200 with 100% “SAF” fuel, within the framework of joint cooperation with Airbus, Engin alliance, Pratt & Whitney, Enoc, Nesti and ferent, in order to test the performance and help demonstrate the potential of this type of fuel as a direct alternative that matches the technical and chemical specifications of aviation fuel.
Research and studies indicate that “SAF SAF” reduces carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.
Adel alreda, Chief Operating Officer of Emirates, said: “Emirates is the first passenger carrier in the world to operate an A380 with one of its four engines running on 100% SAF fuel. We and our partners are proud to plan and execute this demonstration flight, which will ultimately lead to the industry’s 100% adoption of SAF fuel. “With the growing global demand for low-emission alternatives to jet fuel in place, the job of producers and suppliers is to produce, distribute and make safe jet fuel available in the coming years to help Emirates and the wider industry move forward with our efforts towards low-carbon operations,”he added.
“Emirates is committed to reducing emissions in the aviation sector through many of the initiatives it has announced, including conducting a test flight of the A380 aircraft using 100% sustainable aviation fuel on one of the engines, as well as allocating 200 million dollars to finance research and development projects to find solutions in advanced fuel and energy technologies, in addition to joining a research alliance with local companies to expand the production of sustainable aviation fuel in the UAE and other initiatives,” he added.
He pointed out that the use of SAF fuel in aviation commercially still requires work to reduce its cost, as it is difficult for airlines to adapt to the price levels of this type of fuel, which is about 3 to 4 times higher than the prices of conventional fuel, expecting this cost to decrease with the expansion of production in the future by companies and suppliers.
He pointed out that the UAE is witnessing many initiatives in the field of sustainability, especially in the field of aviation and the provision of sustainable aviation fuel, pointing out the need to provide such a type of fuel from within the UAE, especially that providing it from outside the country, increases the cost and burdens Airlines, pointing out that providing sustainable aviation fuel locally will be more feasible and reduce the cost.
The 100% “SAF” fuel used for the flight contains renewable aromatic compounds and closely mimics the characteristics of conventional jet fuel. This is the first time SAF has been used to operate the A380, with full compatibility expected across the aircraft’s existing systems.
4 tons of “SAF” were loaded on the plane, and Enoc helped to secure “SAF” fuel for the test flight, mixing it with sustainable aviation kerosene SAK at its facility at Dubai International Airport.
