Spanish energy company Repsol and Irish airline Ryanair have signed a deal to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Spain and Portugal.
As part of the agreement, Repsol would supply Ryanair a maximum of 155,000 tonnes of SAF from 2025-2030, the companies announced on 4 May. This would be the equivalent of more than 28,000 flights between Dublin and Madrid and would reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 490,000 tonnes.
“This agreement is another step in Repsol’s commitment to renewable fuels. The aviation sector needs solutions such as SAF fuels to support the decarbonisation process it is currently undergoing,” Repsol’s executive managing director of Client Valero Marin said.
Ryanair has set itself a target of using 12.5% SAF by 2030.
“Achieving this [target] requires multiple different feedstocks and production methods, and we’re encouraged that Repsol are looking at different solutions. This agreement helps Ryanair secure access to approximately 15% of this… goal,” Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson said.
Repsol manufactures renewable fuels for all transport sectors, including aviation. At the end of this year, the company said it would start operations at the first advanced biofuels plant in Spain, in Cartagena, which would produce 250,000 tonnes of renewable fuels from waste, as part of the company’s target of producing 1.3M tonnes/year of renewable fuels by 2025 and more than 2M tonnes/year by 2030.
The company has set a goal of reaching zero net emissions by 2050.
