Technology has managed to make Icarus' dream come true. Thanks to commercial aviation, human beings have been able to get to know the world in its entirety, traveling quickly, comfortably and safely. Places that we only knew about through books are now within our reach. The current success of the airplane, above other means of transportation, is confirmed by the millions of people who transit through national and international airports (last July, for example, there were 29.8 million passengers in our country, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda).
But in the contemporary context of the fight against climate change, we must ask ourselves: how can we make the multiple benefits that aviation brings to our lives compatible with the necessary safeguarding of our planet? Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), a type of alternative fuel to the usual fossil fuels, has currently been positioned as the most effective, realistic and immediate instrument for decarbonization of the airline sector.
The IAG airline group – to which Iberia belongs – has been the first in the world to commit to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Before then, specifically in 2030, it will reduce its emissions by 20%. To make this possible, in the next 20 years, the group will invest nearly 900 million dollars in this fuel, by purchasing 6 million gallons per year from the American firm Gevo, to be supplied at the Los Angeles airports. and San Francisco. An example of the production and supply difficulties that exist in Europe. “The problem with this type of fuel is the low production that exists today. With current infrastructure, less than 1% of global demand can barely be covered, so large-scale production is necessary,” as explained Teresa Parejo, director of Sustainability at Iberia.
The support and incentive of public administrations, both national and European, is essential “to accelerate the production of sustainable fuels. In the United States they have implemented regulations that favor the production of SAF at competitive prices, which has caused production to be concentrated there,” he points out. In our country, Iberia has already reached agreements with the main oil companies to promote the production of this fuel. In addition, the airline has already successfully carried out the first demonstration flights, both in the domestic market (in Bilbao, in October 2021) and on intercontinental flights (Dallas, San Francisco and Washington, in June 2022).
The SAF is the most viable response to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions on short, medium and long-haul flights. Its use can reduce the CO2 emissions of the fuel by between 60 and 100%, in terms of its life cycle (that is, from its production to its consumption). SAF can be organic (which is produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, biomass or other waste, such as agricultural waste) or synthetic (which is generated from the capture of CO2 through the use of green hydrogen). . One of its great advantages is that it is a drop-in technology, since, for its use, it does not require modifying any mechanism on airplanes or airport infrastructure.
Current aircraft, in fact, are already certified to operate with up to 50% of these sustainably sourced fuels. For all these reasons, the launch of a new SAF industry can be a great opportunity for Spain to generate wealth and create new jobs. Our country has all the necessary elements to produce both types of fuel. According to Parejo, Spain can become a great SAF producing power: “Firstly, it has an enormous wealth of forestry, agricultural and livestock waste, which is what is used to produce biological SAF. And, furthermore, it is on track to spearhead the production of green hydrogen which, among other things, will be used to manufacture synthetic SAF.”
The commitment to this type of fuel also holds great news for rural Spain, which may benefit greatly from its widespread use, since it is in this area where the waste necessary for the production of biological SAF is located. The decarbonization process of Spanish aviation will require 5 million tons of SAF per year in 2050. According to a study carried out by PwC, if between 30 and 40 production plants are distributed throughout the national territory, Spain would be able to cover the entire your demand. It is estimated that the impact on the GDP of the construction and start-up of some 32 production plants would be 56 billion euros until 2050. This would also translate into some 270,000 new jobs.
Currently, SAF production is low compared to demand, which can represent a great opportunity for our country. Parejo believes that Spain should take advantage of its leadership in renewable energies to “promote a new industry of this type of fuel that serves to decarbonize air transport immediately and with future projection.” Iberia's Sustainability Director is convinced that SAF production will contribute to creating "a new business model with thousands of quality jobs", and will also serve to generate "social and territorial cohesion" and "have independence and security." energy”. Logically, this requires the effort of all the actors involved in mobilizing the necessary funds to put the production plants into operation. As Parejo states, “sustainability cannot be addressed individually or in isolation. “This is everyone’s job.”
The magnitude of this project requires “public-private alliances; in particular, of the production companies with the Government and with the local and regional Administrations,” adds Parejo. The advantages of this cooperation are innumerable, from the possibility of reducing the CO2 impact and promoting the circular economy to finding an intelligent solution to the growing problem of waste management that would now become a new business opportunity.
