Eurasian SAF Alliance formed

Russian Airline Aeroflot announced Dec. 13 that a Eurasian SAF Alliance has been jointly established by PJSC Gazprom Neft, Airbus, Volga-Dnepr Group, National Research Center Zhukovsky Institute, Federal State Unitary Enterprise State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, and S7 Group.

The new alliance’s main goals, according to co-founder and participant Aeroflot, are the introduction and ramp-up of sustainable aviation fuel use in Russia. In order to achieve them, alliance members will develop a roadmap to coordinate subsequent joint efforts.

“As part of the alliance, the participants agreed to promote SAF use in the Russian market in line with local and international norms and regulations, as well as tech specifications including aircraft type certificate and other operation and maintenance documentation,” Aeroflot stated. Alliance members anticipate Russian civil aviation to operate the first flight with an SAF blend no later than 2024.

“The environmental agenda is increasingly becoming one of the key topics in aviation,” said Andrey Chikhanchin, PJSC Aeroflot’s deputy CEO for commerce and finance. “Aeroflot Group has greatly contributed to boosting ecological efficiency as we cut normalized CO2 emissions by 30 percent. By signing the declaration to create the SAF Alliance, Aeroflot has taken another step towards the future as we affirm our commitment to the industry’s environmental priorities. Our coordinated activities with the major industry players will help enhance the environmental credentials and promote gradual decarbonization of aviation.”

Anatoly Cherner, PJSC Gazprom Neft’s deputy chairman of the management board, added, “Decarbonization and new international environmental norms call for innovative technological solutions to produce fuel with low carbon footprint. Thanks to scientific competencies, extensive modernization and refineries development, Gazprom Neft is actively developing its segment of eco-products for all modes of transport. Together with the airlines, aircraft manufacturers and research institutes, we are ready to start new R&D of green fuel, unique for the Russian industry. The SAF Alliance will allow us to join the expertise of all airline market participants to make the Russian SAF R&D process more efficient.”

According to Aeroflot, the Eurasian SAF Alliance will promote alliance members’ initiatives to introduce the principles of sustainable development and looks to contribute to enhancing the environmental credentials of air transport and gradual decarbonization of the airline industry. “The alliance members believe that coordinated efforts of leading Russian and European energy, aircraft and airline companies as well as government bodies will help achieve the goals,” the airline stated. “Eurasian SAF Alliance is an inclusive ecosystem open to all companies across SAF production chain including fuel producers, airlines, airports, aircraft and engine manufacturers, and R&D centers.”

In September, Aeroflot and Gazprom Neft signed an agreement to jointly work on production and use of SAF to reduce CO2 emissions of air travel.