Emirates tests flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel

STORY: One engine on this plane is running fully on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Dubai state-owned airline Emirates operated its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for a demonstration flight…

marking an important step towards the UAE’s goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

''We are here to promote the use of SAF and also to push the boundaries towards getting 100% SAF approved.''

The aviation sector currently accounts for about 2.8% of global CO2 emissions.

But through the use of feedstocks like cooking oils…

sustainable aviation fuel – or SAF – can reduce emissions by up to 80% from conventional fuel.

Some see SAF as the carbon savior for an aviation sector often cast as a villain in the fight against climate

change.

But the nascent industry makes up less than 1% of fuel used

and costs between three to five times more than traditional jet fuel.

Emirates has been working with GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell, Neste and Virent to develop greener fuel….

Senior support manager at GE, Zeina Chakhtoura explains.

"All GE engines currently are certified to operate with a 50% SAF blend, so 50% SAF blended with conventional jet fuel, so that is already an option that is available to all the operators, and today we are doing a 100% SAF flight in one engine.’’

The next step?

To get the 100% sustainable aviation fuel approved.

Emirates chief operating officer, Adel Al Redha.

“I think we are looking forward to the next few years to come to demonstrate further the ability of the airplane to use up to a 100% of SAF on one aircraft, we want to demonstrate today one engine and the next step to use it on the other engine."