Embraer: planes fly with sustainable fuel – 10/15/2023 – Market

The most advanced Embraer Phenom 300E and Praetor 600 aircraft successfully took off and landed in a test of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF 100%), according to a company statement this Sunday (15).

The flights were made at the Embraer plant in Melbourne, Australia. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer says that the use of SAF is a fundamental part of its commitment to sustainability.

SAF production reached 300 million liters worldwide in 2022. The number is triple last year. However, it still represents 0.1% of the total fuel used by planes in the world.

In addition to polluting 80% less than kerosene, the new fuel is easy to adopt: it can be used in existing aircraft engines, without major adaptations. SAF can also be mixed with kerosene in various proportions. Companies around the world seek to replace fossil fuels with renewable alternatives.

Despite high demand, SAF progress is slow for several reasons, especially the difficulty in increasing production. The fuel is made from plant oils such as palm and castor beans, and organic waste, including discarded vegetable oils. Setting up a factory takes three to five years.

“The use of SAF is essential for Embraer’s operations to be carbon neutral by 2040 and, thus, support the aerospace sector’s goal of zero emissions by 2050”, says the company in a note.

Today, all of the company’s aircraft are approved to use a mixture of up to 50% of SAF with aviation kerosene, according to Embraer itself.

The company is working to place aircraft on the market capable of flying with a tank filled only with SAF, which can reduce emissions by enabling the exchange of fossil fuel for a renewable source.

Embraer states that it “will continue to work towards a more sustainable future for the aviation industry through additional efforts, such as research and development of alternative low- or zero-emission propulsion systems, such as electrification, hybrid-electric and hydrogen”.