Zero, Airbus sign MoU to advance development of synthetic SAF
12 June 2024
Zero, a company developing and manufacturing whole-blend synthetic, non-biological fuels—gasoline, diesel and jet fuel—using just carbon dioxide from the air and hydrogen from water—has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to advance the development of synthetic Sustainable Aviation Fuel (eSAF) and enable commercial-scale adoption of the technology by combining their unique resources and expertise.
Both companies have made significant contributions to the field. Zero secured the Guinness World Records title of “first aircraft powered by synthetic fuel” in 2021 and Airbus has successfully tested commercial and military aircraft with 100% SAF. Their collaboration demonstrates a firm commitment toward aviation’s 2050 Net-Zero goals.
In commercial scale production, Zero’s 100% drop-in synthetic SAF will be manufactured in a fully carbon-neutral process using just air and water. The fuel’s energy density and ability to power existing engines without modification make it an ideal solution for aviation, which faces distinct challenges as a hard-to-abate sector. Zero’s agreement with Airbus could lead to a new technology pathway being certified for the everyday use of eSAF in aviation.
Airbus has set targets of 15% SAF in its global fuel mix by the end of 2024 and at least 30% by 2030, advocating for progress in the regulatory environment and building a robust supply chain. Compared to fossil fuels, SAF can reduce fossil CO2 emissions by 80% on average over the fuel’s lifecycle. eSAF specifically can reduce fossil CO2 emissions by up to 99% and could make a critical contribution to the scale up of global SAF production eventually for all aviation demand.
Zero recently opened a fully featured synthetic fuel plant (Plant Zero.1) near Oxford, UK and has plans to build a commercial-scale plant which is to begin production in 2026.
'Zero, a company developing and manufacturing whole-blend synthetic, non-biological fuels—gasoline, diesel and jet fuel—using just carbon dioxide from the air and hydrogen from water'
A brilliant way to reduce emissions from aircraft, as direct air capture is phenomenally expensive, and will remain so even assuming all improvements projected happen without gliches, so if aircraft were powered by SAF from that, flights would not take place and air travel would be decimated.
The uncharitable such as me might think that this is a fake ploy, to carry on regardless expanding the air fleet on the grounds that emissions will be solved by this pretend solution.
Far be it from me to impugn such highly moral actors as Boeing though, who assure us that all is well, or would have done if their flight to the conference had made it.
Posted by: Davemart | 12 June 2024 at 02:13 AM