Aviation360 MEA

The inaugural test flight, showcasing the potential of converting methanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), occurred in Dubai during COP28 in the UAE. The successful flight was a collaborative effort involving Masdar, TotalEnergies, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, Airbus, Falcon Aviation Services, and technology licensor Axens.Although the Alcohol-to-Jet Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene pathway (ATJ-SPK) obtained certification in 2016 for meeting international standards for jet fuel, it’s noteworthy that methanol is not specified among the alcohols in the certified list. The flight utilized a blend of aviation fuel derived from olefins, aiming to contribute to the certification of this innovative pathway for SAF production from methanol.The potential of deriving this new pathway from renewable electricity opens the door to the development of eSAF, a crucial element in addressing the global challenge of producing SAF to decarbonize aviation. The successful test flight exemplifies the joint commitment of Masdar and TotalEnergies to advancing SAF development, providing an additional avenue for ongoing endeavors to decarbonize the aviation industry.Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, expressed pride in supporting the growth of the aviation sector and emphasized SAF’s substantial potential in reducing carbon emissions from the challenging aviation sector. Al Ramahi highlighted Masdar’s dedication through strategic partnerships in this domain.TotalEnergies, as the initiator of this scouting effort alongside Masdar, expressed delight in working toward the next generation of clean aviation fuels. Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, emphasized the critical role of this novel pathway to jet, particularly through e-SAF, in supporting the aviation industry’s decarbonization efforts, complementing existing SAF derived from used cooking oil.