Neste and Vitol Aviation enable Heathrow to become first UK major airport to incorporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel into operation
Neste Corporation, Press Release, 3 June 2021 at 9.00 a.m. (EET)
For the first time, passengers from Heathrow will be able to reduce their flying emissions by up to 80%1. Vitol Aviation, a fuel supplier at Heathrow, is making Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ available ahead of the G7 Summit to be held from 11 to 13 June 2021. Vitol Aviation intends to deliver further supplies ahead of COP26 to enable attendees to also transit to Glasgow with lower-emissions.
Vitol Aviation’s expertise in the specialist handling of jet fuel will be combined with Neste’s market-leading SAF production capabilities. Neste MY SAF is produced 100% from renewable and sustainable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel, in its neat form and over the life cycle, reduces up to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil jet fuel use1.
The fuel, which is blended upstream of the airport, will be incorporated into the airport's main fuel supply from 3 June and made available for use across Heathrow flights over the following days. Whilst the fuel supply may be comparatively small - equivalent to fuelling up to 10 short haul flights - it serves as proof of concept for more flights to be operated using SAF at the UK’s hub airport going forward.
Jonathan Wood, Vice President Europe, Renewable Aviation at Neste said: “We are continuously supporting the aviation industry in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We are pleased that Vitol is enabling Neste MY SAF to be used at Heathrow, one of the leading global hub airports. We are also proud to play a role in lower-emission travel to the G7 conference, where sustainability will be one of the key topics."
Leticia Hachuel, Vitol Aviation said: “Sustainability has always been important to us as a supplier, and to airlines and their passengers. We are delighted to be the first to deliver sustainable aviation fuel to Heathrow. Whilst this is proof of concept, it demonstrates how lower-emission options for flying are achievable. We are looking at how we can use our expertise to offer more sustainable options.”
Heathrow Chief Executive Officer, John Holland-Kaye said: “We are delighted that Heathrow is the first UK major airport to successfully incorporate sustainable aviation fuels into its operation. As we get ready to welcome the world to the G7, we can demonstrate how this technology can significantly cut carbon from aviation, whilst protecting its benefits. The UK Government now has an opportunity to create a new British growth industry by backing sustainable aviation fuel production and also be leaders in the race to a net zero 2050. Now is the time for less talk and more action and Ministers should follow in the examples of countries like the US and set a mandate that requires a minimum of 10% sustainable fuel use by airlines by 2030, rising to at least 50% by 2050.”
1 Calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, among which EU RED and CORSIA.
Neste Corporation
Susanna Sieppi
Vice President, Communications
Further information:
Neste
Please contact Neste’s media service, tel. +358 50 458 5076 / media@neste.com (weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EET).
Vitol
Andrea Schlaepfer
Tel +44 (0)7525 403796
acs@vitol.com
Neste in brief
Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. We refine waste, residues and innovative raw materials into renewable fuels and sustainable feedstock for plastics and other materials. We are the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, developing chemical recycling to combat the plastic waste challenge. We aim at helping customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with our renewable and circular solutions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030. As a technologically advanced refiner of high-quality oil products with a commitment to reach carbon-neutral production by 2035, we are also introducing renewable and recycled raw materials such as waste plastic as refinery raw materials. We have consistently been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies. In 2020, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 11.8 billion, with 94% of the company’s comparable operating profit coming from renewable products. Read more: neste.com
Vitol in brief
Vitol is a leader in the energy sector with a presence across the spectrum; from oil through to power, renewables and carbon. It trades seven million barrels per day of crude oil and products and, at any time, has 250 ships transporting its cargoes. Vitol’s clients include national oil companies, multinationals, leading industrial companies and utilities. Founded in Rotterdam in 1966, today Vitol serves clients from some 40 offices worldwide and is invested in energy assets globally including: circa 16mm3 of storage globally, 480kbpd of refining capacity, 7,000 service stations and a growing portfolio of transitional and renewable energy assets. Revenues in 2020 were $140 billion.
About Heathrow
Heathrow is the UK’s only hub airport and one of the world’s top international aviation hubs. The airport is Britain’s largest cargo port, helping to drive British trade growth and assisting the country in the fight against COVID-19, with 46% of the country’s pharmaceutical products imported through Heathrow in 2020. Heathrow is the first UK airport to pass the CAA's COVID Security Assurance Scheme and has secured the Airport Health Accreditation from the Airports Council International, as a result of investments made to keep the hub airport COVID secure. The airport is currently ranked by passengers as the “Best Airport for Shopping” for 11 years in a row.
