Repsol, Iberia sign agreement with Inditex to use 5% SAF for transport of its air cargo

Photo: Iberia

Repsol announced July 23 that it and the airline Iberia have signed an agreement with global fashion retail group Inditex for the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The SAF used represents 5 percent of the fuel that Iberia uses to transport Inditex’s merchandise on its flights.

Iberia has made an initial purchase of SAF to be used for Inditex’s cargo, which Repsol will supply directly at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport in Spain.

The use of this fuel leads to a reduction in emissions of more than 80 percent compared to the mineral kerosene it replaces, so this agreement represents a further step toward the decarbonization objectives of the three companies.

Iberia, Repsol and Inditex said they are committed to the use of SAF as a key tool to contribute to decarbonizing the aviation sector.

The SAF supplied by Repsol is certified and complies with the standards of Annex IX Part B of the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001 RED II.

“This new alliance with Iberia and Inditex reinforces our commitment to 100 percent renewable fuels as a lever for the decarbonization of mobility,” said Carlos Suárez, Repsol’s director of international aviation. “The start of large-scale production of 100 percent renewable fuels in Cartagena is a milestone in our strategy. This plant, which produces both 100 percent renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels, will enable Repsol to be ready to supply the aviation sector with the SAF it needs to realize its decarbonization ambitions.”

Teresa Parejo, the Iberia’s sustainability director, added, “SAF is the best and most immediate solution to advance the decarbonization of the airline industry. This agreement with Inditex is part of our commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. It is a great challenge that must be tackled on a global scale and that will only be achieved through collaborations such as the one we have just signed between Iberia and Inditex.”

SAF has positioned itself as the best means to decarbonize the airline industry.

It can be organic (produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, biomass or other waste such as agricultural waste) or synthetic (generated from CO2 capture using green hydrogen).

One of its main advantages is that it can be used in airplanes and airports without the need for any modification.