In 2022, the first European factory for biokerosene starts operations in the Netherlands. KLM undertakes to purchase the majority of its production.
Earlier this year, the European Union stated in its Aviation Environment Report that it considers sustainable aviation fuels to be of enormous importance and wants to create incentives for their use, but is pessimistic about the prospects for success. In the near future, consumption will “probably remain below one percent of total EU aviation fuel consumption”, it was said. KLM now wants to do something about this.
The Dutch airline announced on 27 May that it would undertake to use 75,000 tonnes of sustainable fuel annually over a period of ten years. This is to come from a plant that the biofuel manufacturer Sky NRG is building in the coastal town of Delfzijl in the north of the Netherlands by 2022. It is the first production facility in Europe.
85 percent less CO2 emissions
This will produce 100,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel per year, of which KLM will purchase three quarters. The raw material used is waste such as used cooking oil, most of which comes from regional industry. The plant is operated with sustainable hydrogen, which is obtained from water and wind energy.
The airline hopes that the new fuel will reduce CO2 emissions by 85 percent compared to kerosene. It is difficult to say exactly how far KLM will get with the 75,000 tonnes, as the airline does not provide any information on its total consumption. KLM CEO Pieter Elbers said, however, that the airline would use the fuel to avoid 200,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year, or as much as 1000 flights between Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro.
Source: aero telegraph