Orlen now offers SAF at 3 airports in Poland

Photo: Orlen

Orlen announced July 9 that aircraft departing from Polish airports in Warsaw, Kraków and Katowice can now refuel with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), following addition of the fuel to its commercial offering.

The new type of aviation fuel significantly reduces greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, both during production and combustion.

“The inclusion of SAF in our aviation-fuel portfolio marks another step in implementing our 2035 strategy,” said Ireneusz Sitarski, vice president of the Orlen management board for wholesale and logistics. “We are expanding our product portfolio while responding to the need to decarbonize operations on both the supply and demand side. SAF also meets the expectations of carriers and passengers seeking more sustainable travel options.”

SAF is produced from renewable or waste-derived feedstocks that meet established sustainability criteria and do not contribute to deforestation or the depletion of food and water resources.

Depending on the production technology, feedstocks may include used cooking oils as well as municipal, industrial, agricultural and forestry waste.

In practice, the renewable component is blended with regular jet fuel.

“The introduction of SAF at Warsaw Chopin Airport is a major milestone in the aviation sector’s transition toward climate neutrality,” said Adam Sanocki, a member of the management board of PPL S.A. focusing on strategy and marketing. “Our priority is to establish the conditions necessary for carriers to reduce emissions and progress their sustainability strategies. At PPL, we support initiatives that drive the decarbonization of the aviation sector in accordance with our ESG strategy, as well as the development of environmentally sustainable technologies in air transport.”

SAF emits substantially fewer GHGs than conventional aviation fuels, supporting the decarbonization of the aviation sector.

When produced using renewable energy sources, they enable a significant reduction in emissions across the entire value chain—from production through to combustion in aircraft engines.

The fuel is fully compatible with existing jet-engine technologies, enabling immediate adoption by airlines and a reduction in emissions from flight operations.

By introducing SAF into its commercial offering, Orlen is also fulfilling the requirements of the EU ReFuelEU aviation regulation, which mandates that SAF must account for at least 2 percent of total jet-fuel sales in 2025.

The regulation applies to airports within the European Union that, in the preceding year, handled over 800,000 passengers or 100,000 metric tons of cargo.

Orlen currently provides SAF refueling services at three domestic airports: Warsaw Chopin Airport, Kraków and Katowice.

“The introduction of SAF into the Polish market is an important step for us in the process of adapting to regulatory requirements stemming from the ReFuelEU aviation regulation,” said Dorota Dmuchowska, the chief operating officer with LOT Polish Airlines. “Although access to SAF remains limited, its availability at selected airports in the country will significantly facilitate the implementation of LOT’s sustainable development and decarbonization strategy, in line with the company’s development plans. The deployment of such fuels requires precise logistical planning, which is why we appreciate Orlen’s initiative, as it will undoubtedly support us in meeting the objectives of the EU requirements.”

The ReFuelEU aviation regulation establishes a binding trajectory for increasing the share of SAF in total aviation fuel sales: 6 percent by 2030, 20 percent by 2035 and 70 percent by 2050.

To meet these obligations, Orlen is developing a hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) facility at its Płock refinery, which will enable the production of aviation fuel from used cooking oils.

Until the facility becomes operational, the company sources SAF components from abroad.

The sale of SAF is one of several initiatives undertaken by Orlen to advance the decarbonization of aviation.

As part of the HySPARK project (Hydrogen Solutions for euroPean Airports & Regional Kinetics), Orlen also plans to construct a hydrogen refueling station at Warsaw Chopin Airport.

The station will supply hydrogen to zero-emission ground-support vehicles at the airport, to be deployed as part of the HySPARK initiative.