CEPSA is betting on the SAF to boost decarbonisation of air transport
“As a leading aviation fuel supplier, we at Cepsa want to be our customers’ best ally to move forward together in this transformation and help them achieve their sustainability goals. Within our strategic plan ‘Positive Motion’, by 2030 we will produce 2.5 million tons per year of biofuel Of the second generation in Spain and Portugal, of which 800,000 tons per year will be SAF for our customers in the aviation sector.says Carlos Barassa, Director of Commercial and Clean Energy at Cepsa.
Today, air travel releases more than 900 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, equivalent to 3% of the planet’s total carbon dioxide emissions. For this reason, Cepsa, within the Positive Mobility Strategy, is developing an ecosystem focused on accelerating the decarbonisation of heavy transport customers and the company itself, through the production of green molecules, especially renewable hydrogen and second-generation biofuels.
Cepsa has reached cooperation agreements with major airlines operating in Spain to jointly promote the decarbonization of the aviation sector through the research and production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and to ensure that the aviation sector has net zero emissions by 2050. .
Specifically, the energy company has alliances, among others, with Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, Air Nostrum, Air Europa, Pinter, TUI, Wizz Air and Volotea.
To ensure the supply of SAF to its customers, Cepsa is developing the largest second-generation biofuel plant in Southern Europe, together with Bio-Oils, through an investment of up to €1,000 million. This facility, which will be launched in 2026 in Palos de la Frontera (Helva), will have a flexible production capacity of 500,000 tons of SAF and renewable diesel, and will contain the latest technologies for biofuel production. In addition, it will be designed from the beginning as an authentic digital factory, equipped with the latest developments based on artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and data analysis, to maximize its efficiency and ensure the highest standards of safety and environmental protection.
The 2G biofuel will be made from organic waste, such as used cooking oil or agricultural waste, among others. These biofuels promote a circular economy, by using waste in their production that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Advantages of SAF
As of today, the SAF is the greatest (most urgent and most effective) means of decarbonising the aviation sector. The use of second-generation biofuels can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional fuels, which is why they are an essential element for promoting the energy transition and promoting the decarbonization of transportation, especially in sectors where electrification is very complex. Such as heavy land, air and sea transportation.
Another good news is that this solution does not involve redesigning aircraft or modifying the supply infrastructure. This allows investments and technological R&D efforts to focus on adjusting production and reducing costs.
Moreover, the Sudanese Armed Forces are working to strengthen Circular economyBecause it is produced from biodegradable agricultural waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, and waste such as used cooking oil or animal fat, which has been pre-treated to remove impurities. These materials are refined through a process called hydrodeoxygenation, which removes oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen from these renewable raw materials. The advantage is that it is not necessary to grow biomass, so it does not compete with crops intended for food.
On the other hand, the use of the Sudanese Armed Forces increases Energy independenceOh, with her, supply security. In addition, it ensures the maintenance of an important engine of the Spanish economy, with 200,000 high-quality jobs. These are more than enough reasons for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to encourage the use of sustainable biofuels since 2020.
CEPSA’s commitment to the Sudanese Armed Forces
It was our proof of the Spanish aviation sector’s shared commitment to the energy transition and sustainable tourism A pioneering initiative, through which we at Cepsa provided the Sudanese Armed Forces with up to 220 flights for a week Air Europa, Air Nostrum, Iberia Express, Ryanair, Vueling and Wizz Air. The plane took off from Seville Airport in November 2022 and we covered 400,000 kilometers in a medium plane, which is the equivalent of flying around the world ten times and covering between 400 and 500 flight hours. however, We avoid emitting more than 200 tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to planting more than 2,500 trees.
The SAF we provide for this procedure is produced in our La Rábida Energy Park (Huelva) from olive pits and other plant waste from the olive sector. He was This is the first time that these characteristics have been provided to the Sudanese Armed Forces at an airport in southern Europe.
On the other hand, Cepsa has begun marketing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at five of Spain’s main airports, through which more than 150 million passengers pass every year, representing 60% of the country’s passenger traffic. Specifically, the energy company has begun marketing SAF at Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Malaga airports to all requesting customers. In this way, Cepsa has become the first company to permanently introduce aviation biofuel at five major Spanish airports.
The energy company, which is currently one of the main manufacturers and suppliers of aviation fuel on the Spanish market, produces this sustainable fuel at the La Rábida (Huelva) energy park from organic waste, such as used cooking oils or agricultural waste, among others. . This second-generation biofuel, in addition to its ability to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional kerosene, promotes a circular economy, as it is produced from waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Toby Pardoe, Aviation Director at Cepsa, said: “We want sustainable aviation to become a reality as soon as possible. Therefore, we are proud to be able to continuously offer our air services to customers in the aviation sector. For the first time in Spain, five of the country’s main airports have this sustainable fuel, which will allow different airlines to promote Its carbon removal processes..
In addition, the energy company recently established an SAF department to meet its customers’ decarbonization needs.
In this way, Cepsa continues to advance its goal of becoming a benchmark in the clean energy sector and leading the decarbonization of air transport. This achievement comes just months after Cepsa supplied sustainable aviation fuel to more than 200 flights at Seville Airport in a pioneering work that became the first supply of these characteristics to the SAF at an airport in southern Europe. In addition to being the first time in Spain that the entire value chain has traceability certified by the ISCC EU system (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification), from the manufacture of sustainable aviation fuel to the physical supply.
This new step by the energy company contributes to the 55 appropriate measures of the European Commission, which includes the legislative initiative “ReFuelEU Aviation”, which aims to promote sustainable aviation fuel in the EU, to reach 2% usage in 2025. 6% in 2030 and 70% in 2050. Likewise, it supports several of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda: SDG 7 (clean and affordable energy), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), and SDG 12 One of the sustainable development goals (responsible production and economic growth). consumption) and SDG 13 (climate action).
