The largest commercial Sustainable Aviation Future transaction to date and the largest for either company to date was announced today by Shell and Lufthansa. The purchase will cover 1.8 million metric tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel.
According to the companies, the agreement would help both Shell and Lufthansa achieve their respective goals of "promot[ing] the availability, market ramp-up and use of SAF as an essential element for a CO2-neutral future of aviation" and "at least 10 percent of their aviation fuel sales by SAF by 2030."
Jan Toschka, President, Shell Aviation, said:
“SAF is the most significant way to decarbonize aviation over the decades to come. Our relationship goes beyond commercial arrangements – it is strategic and aligned regarding the view that SAF holds the key to achieving a sustainable aviation future.”
The agreements come at a time when the aviation sector is coming under more scrutiny as a large source of GHG emissions, accounting for 2-3 percent of world emissions and projected to increase significantly over the next few decades without action. Market members view SAF as one of the most important tools for the industry to manage its climate impact because it produces up to 80% fewer lifecycle carbon emissions than traditional jet fuel.
This is a fantastic effort to combat climate change.