Sustainable aviation fuel introduced at Gatwick Airport in UK

Photo: Neste Corp.

A total of 42 EasyJet flights operating from Gatwick Airport in the U.K. are to be powered by a 30 percent blend of Neste’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The first one is departing Oct. 19. This is the first time a departing flight at Gatwick has used SAF and is also the first usage by any EasyJet service, according to Neste.

Of the 42 flights running on Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel blend, 39 of these will be the EasyJet flights operating from Gatwick to Glasgow throughout the COP26 Climate Change Conference, which runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12. Across all 42 flights, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by up to 70 metric tons.

Q8Aviation has delivered the first volumes of Neste’s SAF, made from recycled materials such as used cooking oil and animal fats, to the fuel supply at Gatwick Airport. The SAF is blended with Jet A-1 fuel at a depot upstream of Gatwick Airport to create a drop-in fuel compatible with existing aircraft engines and the airport infrastructure. Q8Aviation delivered the fuel to the main storage tanks at Gatwick Airport for supply to EasyJet aircraft via the airport’s hydrant system.

According to Neste, Gatwick’s 2019 carbon footprint showed the airport is halfway to net zero for its own operations and is committed to achieving net-zero direct emissions by 2040.

“We are very pleased to work with EasyJet, Q8Aviation, and Neste to demonstrate SAF use at Gatwick Airport,” said Tim Norwood with Gatwick Airport. “SAF is one of several ways that U.K. aviation and Gatwick will reach net-zero carbon by 2050, alongside carbon offsets, airspace modernization, and continued innovation in aerospace technology, including electric, hydrogen, and hybrid aircraft systems. With smart government policy to underpin investment in cost competitive U.K. SAF production, many more flights could be using U.K.-produced SAF by the mid-2020s.”

Neste’s SAF is not made in the U.K.

“Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is both a great challenge and an opportunity for our industry,” Norwood continued. “Sustainable aviation’s decarbonization roadmap and interim goals set out clear milestones and we’re ready to play our part at Gatwick, through implementing the roadmap’s first decade milestones, and by keeping the roadmap updated to incorporate additional technology solutions for the 2030s.”