Neste Oil and Lufthansa satisfied with results of renewable aviation fuel trial
Neste Oil Corporation
Press release
15 March 2012 at 2 pm (EET)
Neste Oil and Lufthansa satisfied with results of renewable aviation fuel trial
Neste Oil and Lufthansa tested Neste Oil's NExBTL renewable aviation fuel on a total of 1,187 flights between Frankfurt and Hamburg last year and one intercontinental flight between Frankfurt and Washington D.C. this year. Factors such as fuel quality, aircraft performance, and fuel storability were studied during the flights, and the final results of the trial are now in.
Excellent aircraft and engine performance
The key conclusion of the extensive tests carried out during the trial is that the aircraft and their engines performed excellently. The condition of the combustion chambers, turbines, and fuel systems of their engines was exemplary both during and at the conclusion of the trial. No signs of damage or corrosion were detected in the aircrafts' fuel tanks, and longer-term storage was not shown to have any negative impact on fuel quality. Usage of NExBTL fuel resulted in 1% lower fuel consumption compared to regular fossil jet fuel, thanks to the higher energy content of renewable aviation fuel. No quality or other issues related to NExBTL renewable aviation fuel emerged during the extensive analysis work.
The condition of the engines of the aircraft involved in the trial, together with aircraft performance, were monitored throughout the trial by the aircrafts' pilots, cabin staff, and ground-based maintenance personnel.
Interesting business opportunities
"The first commercial long-term use of aviation biofuel with more than 1,000 consecutive flights demonstrated that Neste Oil's NExBTL renewable aviation fuel is ready for use in daily aircraft operation. Lufthansa is looking forward to continuing the partnership with Neste Oil in the future," says Joachim Buse, Lufthansa's Vice President, Biofuel.
"This has been an exceptionally interesting joint project for us," continues Matti Lehmus, Neste Oil's Executive Vice President, Oil Products and Renewables. "Our renewable aviation fuel is a perfect example of the solutions that meet our customers' future needs and that we can offer them already today. We are extremely satisfied with the results of the trial, which confirm that NExBTL renewable aviation fuel is truly a premium-quality product. We will continue to work closely with Lufthansa and other stakeholders to commercialize the fuel, as we believe that it will offer interesting business opportunities in the future."
Neste Oil Corporation
Hanna Maula
Director, Corporate Communications
Further information:
Kaisa Hietala, Vice President, Market Development, tel. +358 50 458 4128
Neste Oil in brief
Neste Oil Corporation is a refining and marketing company concentrating on low-emission, high-quality traffic fuels. The company produces a comprehensive range of major petroleum products and is the world's leading supplier of renewable diesel. Neste Oil had net sales of EUR 15.4 billion in 2011 and employs around 5,000 people, and is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.
Neste Oil is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Ethibel Pioneer Investment Register, and has featured in The Global 100 list of the world's most sustainable corporations for a number of years. Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) has ranked Neste Oil as one of the best performers in the oil & gas sector. Further information: www.nesteoil.com