Luxaviation, Haffner Energy join forces to accelerate SAF production, promotion

Haffner Energy announced June 18 at the Paris Air Show that its SAF Zero initiative is gaining momentum as global business-aviation operator Luxaviation Group explores an active role in the new entity.

Luxaviation’s potential involvement could take the form of cash funding to finance initial development activities, support in the strategic definition and global visibility as well as offtake agreements in relevant SAF Zero projects, such as Paris-Vatry SAF, Haffner Energy stated.

According to Haffner Energy, SAF Zero is dedicated to fast-tracking the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by establishing an investment and project-development platform that brings key stakeholders together.

Combining Haffner Energy’s proprietary technologies and Luxaviation’s experience and strategic positioning in the aviation sector, SAF Zero is intended to finance and develop industrial SAF production projects.

Operating under an exclusive license, SAF Zero will supply Haffner Energy’s technologies to third parties under license agreements, designing, delivering and potentially operating key equipment based on these technologies.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Luxaviation, a powerful partner working alongside us to position SAF Zero as a cornerstone of Europe’s clean-aviation strategy ,” said Philippe Haffner, co-founder and CEO of Haffner Energy.

France-based Haffner Energy said it relies on its 32-year experience to design, manufacture, supply, license and operate proprietary disruptive clean-fuels solutions, including critical technologies for pathway-agnostic SAF production, using all types of residual biomass and municipal waste.

The company has already announced the development of a number of SAF projects, notably Paris-Vatry SAF in France, where full-scale production is expected to be reached by 2030 when the next stage of the European SAF mandate kicks in.

As a founding partner of SAF Zero, Haffner Energy will provide engineering support and supply of critical equipment as needed for the projects developed by SAF Zero.

“At Luxaviation, we believe that the future of aviation must be sustainable, and that requires bold partnerships and innovative solutions,” said Patrick Hansen, CEO of Luxaviation Group. “Our collaboration with Haffner Energy and our interest in SAF Zero reflect our commitment to accelerating the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel and driving meaningful change across the industry. By combining our operational expertise with Haffner Energy’s cutting-edge technology, we are taking a decisive step toward a cleaner, more responsible future for aviation.”

Luxaviation operates one of the largest fleets of private aircraft worldwide.

It is actively committed to the decarbonization of aviation, according to Haffner Energy, through a three-pronged strategy: improving fuel efficiency; reducing emissions by actively increasing SAF use and electrification of ground operations; buying offsets for remaining greenhouse-gas emissions.

Since 2021, Luxaviation’s annual sustainability report tracks progress against targets.

In 2023, Luxaviation launched the “Go-to-Zero” investment fund to foster SAF production.

Both Luxaviation and Haffner Energy are members of Project SkyPower, an international CEO-led initiative dedicated to accelerating the development and adoption of SAF.