Neste conducts first 100% SAF in-flight study exhibiting significant emission reductions

The world's first in-flight study of commercial aircraft using 100% sustainable aviation fuel registered significant non-carbon dioxide emission reductions, leading Finnish renewable fuel supplier Neste said on June 6.

The green aviation fuel usage in engines of a commercial aircraft showed reduction in soot particles and the formation of contrail ice crystals compared to using conventional Jet A-1 fuel, Neste said in a company statement. There was estimated reduction of at least 26% of non-carbon dioxide emission compared to jet fuel.

According to the study, the utilization of unblended SAF resulted in 56% decrease in the production of ice crystals per mass of unblended SAF used. The production of these ice crystals in turn leads to climate-warming effect contrails.

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, German research centre DLR and SAF producer Neste conducted this ECLIF3 study. The first-of-its-kind study, which was launched in 2021 as the 'Emission and Climate Impact of Alternative Fuels' (ECLIF3) project, measured emissions impact using an Airbus A350, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, with a DLR chase plane following it.

"The results from study confirm a significantly lower climate impact when using 100% SAF due to the lack of aromatics in Neste's SAF used and provide additional scientific data to support the use of SAF at higher concentrations than currently approved 50%," Alexander Kueper, Vice president renewable aviation business at Neste, said.

Neste 100 SAF, also known as Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel, represents a drop-in fuel sourced entirely from renewable waste and residue materials, including used cooking oil and animal fat waste. This fuel can be blended with conventional jet fuel, ensuring compatibility with existing aircraft engines and airport fuel infrastructure.

The emission comparison was done with use of 100% SAF produced with hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids, or HEFA, technology against those from fossil kerosene and low-sulfur fossil kerosene.

"We now know that SAF can also reduce soot emissions and ice particulate formation that we see as contrails," Mark Bentall, Head of Research and Technology Programme at Airbus, said. "This is a very encouraging result, based on science, which shows just how crucial sustainable aviation fuels are for decarbonizing air transport."

SAF will account for 0.61% of global aviation fuel consumption in 2024, compared with 0.31% in 2023, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. The percentage is forecast to rise to 3.24% in 2040 and to 24.06% in 2050, when the total volume will be 2.2 million b/d, compared with 20,000 b/d in 2023.

Platts, part of Commodity Insights, assessed SAF production costs in Southeast Asia at $1,601.61/mt on June 6, up $8.10 from the previous assessment.