With the worldwide aviation trade producing 2.1% of the world’s CO2 emissions (based on the Air Transport Action Group), Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been taking steps to cut back its carbon footprint each within the air and on the bottom. Key initiatives that the airline has been supporting with their Voluntary Carbon Offset Programme, embody rainforest preservation in Indonesia, photo voltaic vitality initiatives throughout India and cleaner cooking in Nepal. Now, with journey regularly returning to pre-pandemic ranges, it’s all the extra necessary for airways to take larger steps towards eco-conscious practices. As a part of SIA’s objective to attain web zero carbon emissions by 2050, the airline has been piloting the usage of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Singapore, along with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Temasek.
While SAF know-how nonetheless has some approach to go earlier than it may be adopted on a wider foundation, the SAF pilot is about to vary that. Here’s all you might want to learn about sustainable aviation gas know-how and SIA’s involvement in driving better adoption of SAF in Singapore.
How is Sustainable Aviation Fuel made?
The course of of making SAF begins with the gathering of waste oils, comparable to animal fat and used cooking oil. They are then refined into neat SAF. For an plane to make use of the gas, the neat SAF should first be blended with common jet gas to create the ultimate SAF mix. The finish product will likely be licensed to fulfill standard jet gas requirements. For the joint CAAS-SIA-Temasek pilot, 1,000 tonnes of neat SAF has been imported and blended with refined jet gas at ExxonMobil’s Singapore services. The blended SAF was subsequently transported to Changi Airport to be used on Singapore Airlines and Scoot flights.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel is a greener approach to fly
The most necessary good thing about SAF is that its use ends in a discount of greenhouse gasoline emissions by about 80% throughout its whole lifecycle, in comparison with conventional fossil jet gas. This additionally helps the thought of a round economic system because it recycles waste merchandise that may usually be discarded. Additionally, SAF has been licensed to fulfill standard jet gas requirements, and neither plane nor refuelling services have to be modified as a way to deal with the gas – making it a viable resolution to cut back greenhouse gasoline emissions.
The goal of the SAF pilot is to operationally validate SAF integration choices at Changi Airport and determine the alternatives and challenges to extend adoption of SAF in Singapore.
Singapore Airlines’ SAF journey started over 10 years in the past
In 2011, the airline took its first step by becoming a member of the SAF User Group (SAFUG) to change information, experiences and finest practices on SAF. Six years later, it operated the world’s first inexperienced package deal flights from San Francisco to Singapore utilizing sustainable biofuels, optimised flight operations and the fuel-efficient Airbus A350-900. A complete of 12 such flights took off over three months, leading to a discount of 320 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In 2020, along with Stockholm airport operator, Swedavia, SAF was deployed for flights from Stockholm to Moscow by way of the airport gas hydrant. This year-long partnership minimize down CO2 emissions by as much as 94 tonnes.
Eco-conscious flying begins on the bottom
In addition to SAF, SIA is concentrating on a number of fronts in its dedication to sustainability to obtain its objective of web zero carbon emissions by 2050. Today, working a younger fleet of latest technology plane is the best manner for an airline to considerably scale back its emissions, and SIA has one of many youngest fleets on this planet. In addition to working a fleet of fuel-efficient plane, SIA has taken steps to cut back floor waste from operations, minimise utilization of water and utilise vitality from renewable assets. Passengers flying with SIA can even discover that meals on chosen short-haul routes in Economy Class are served in eco-friendly packaging – and the in-flight journal has additionally been changed with the digital providing that you simply’re studying now!
Be part of this optimistic change
In July 2022, CAAS, SIA, and Temasek introduced the sale of 1,000 SAF credit for company prospects and freight forwarders to cut back their carbon footprint from flights associated to enterprise travels and operations. SIA can also be exploring mechanisms to introduce SAF credit to corporates along with Climate Impact X (CIX) and can share this accordingly.
In the meantime, travellers can offset the carbon emitted from their upcoming flights by visiting Singapore Airlines’ Voluntary Carbon Offset Programme web page to buy carbon credit.
For extra data on Singapore Airlines’ environmental efforts, click on right here.