Aviation in Greece is getting greener – SAF fuel on AEGEAN flights

By Fotis Fotinos

The EU has set clear environmental targets and transport plays an important role in achieving them.

The EU aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

In aviation, the EU’s aim is to get on track with the Community’s climate targets by 2030 and 2050, as “Sustainable Aviation Fuel” is one of the main short- and medium-term decarbonisers of aviation .

In particular, the RefuelEU proposal, which is one of the four main EU legislative proposals for the penetration of renewable and low-emission fuels in transport, provides binding targets for the use of SAF in aviation.

What are Sustainable Aviation Fuels and how are they produced?

SAFs are fuels produced from sustainable feedstocks such as biomass, used oils, municipal waste/waste, or with C02 capture and renewable electricity, which are then blended with conventional fossil aviation fuels (Jet A/A-1 Fuel ) and that is why they are called SAF.

They are produced with different chemical treatments, depending on the raw materials they use as a base, with the most common being the processing of fatty acids (HEFA) from 100% sustainable materials, such as used oils and animal fats.

According to some calculation methodologies (indicative: the ICAO CORSIA Methodology), the use of SAF in aviation reduces CO2 emissions by an average of 80% compared to conventional fuels, throughout their life cycle.

Currently in Europe, SAF are mainly produced in plants in Germany, Finland, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, etc., but not in Greece, with the total amount of SAF produced estimated at <1%, relative with the total demand for jet fuel and its disposal price being 2 to 4 times higher than the price of conventional jet fuel.
According to EU estimates and targets, the total amount of SAF is not expected to exceed 8% – 10% by 2030.

That is why today in Europe, SAF has started to be available on a regular basis in only 7 airports (Frankfurt, Paris CDG, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Stockholm, Hamburg, Munich).

The AEGEAN – ELPE agreement for the use of SAF

With yesterday’s agreement announced between AEGEAN and ELPE, Thessaloniki airport is now added to this list, while actions are being taken so that it can also be made available at Athens airport, putting Greece on the map of “green” air transport.

The world’s first test flight using SAF mixture took place in 2008, and according to IATA data, since 2016 when it became possible to supply them on a larger scale, about 370,000 commercial flights have been flown by just 40 airlines worldwide.

In Greece, the first sustainable jet fuel flight was carried out by AEGEAN in July 2021 during the delivery flight of another A321neo aircraft from Hamburg.

The AEGEAN – ELPE agreement provides that the sustainable aviation fuels supplied by ELPE and after appropriate processing in the refineries, will fuel AEGEAN flights from Thessaloniki airport, via EKO. These fuels are produced in Finland and the Netherlands by Neste, from 100% renewable waste and residual raw materials.