Brussels Airlines starts new year with a first delivery of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Brussels Airport via CEPS pipeline
Neste Corporation, Press Release, 1 January 2023 at 1.00 p.m. (EET)
Photo: Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines, the flag carrier of Belgium and part of the Lufthansa Group, has started the new year by being the first airline receiving a delivery of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ at Brussels Airport for the first time using the NATO Central European Pipeline System (CEPS). Aviation fuel is supplied by CEPS to commercial airports in Europe, and from 1 January 2023 these airports can also receive sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) via the pipeline system.
Brussels Airlines has ambitious sustainability goals including an aim to emit 50% less CO2 by 2030 compared to 2019, become carbon neutral by 2050, and operate its first flight using SAF by 2023. The delivery of Neste’s SAF via the CEPS pipeline contributes to Brussels Airlines’ sustainability goals by enabling the airline to operate its first flight using SAF already at the start of 2023.
"To achieve our climate goals, we will have to drastically increase the use of alternatives to fossil fuels in the coming years. Together with the Lufthansa Group, we have already invested in the production and use of SAF for several years. The fact that sustainable aviation fuel can now be transported from the blending facility all the way to our aircraft in a fast and environmentally friendly way is an important step to increase the use of this type of fuel in the near future," said Peter Gerber, CEO of Brussels Airlines.
“Sustainable aviation fuel is the most effective tool currently available to reduce the emissions of air travel. Neste is working with partners like Brussel Airlines and the Lufthansa Group, airports and logistics providers to make SAF available across Europe and globally. Following permission by NATO to transport SAF on the CEPS system, we are proud to be the first to deliver SAF into the pipeline to Brussels airport. We look forward to using the largest pipeline system in Europe to supply other airports in the near future. Pipelines are the most efficient way to supply as Neste is scaling up SAF production capacity to 1.5 million tons annually in 2023,” said Jonathan Wood, Vice President Europe, Renewable Aviation at Neste.
The first batch of Neste’s SAF for Brussels Airlines was loaded into the pipeline system as a ready-to-use blend with conventional jet fuel at Neste’s blending facilities in Ghent, Belgium at the turn of the year. From there, the fuel was transported by Brussels Airlines via the pipeline to the general fuel storage at Brussels Airport, making SAF available for use by Brussels Airlines.
Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Using Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%* over the fuel’s life cycle compared to using fossil jet fuel. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel is produced from sustainably sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, including used cooking oil and animal fat waste. SAF is blended with conventional jet fuel and works seamlessly with existing fueling infrastructure and aircraft engines.
The Central Europe Pipeline System
The Central Europe Pipeline System (CEPS) is the largest petroleum pipeline system in NATO and is used to deliver fuel for air and ground vehicles around Europe. Comprising some 5,300 km of pipeline running through Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg and the Netherlands, it is one of the most complex and extensive networks of refined product pipelines in the world also connecting to civil airports.
*) When used in neat form (i.e. unblended) and calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as CORSIA methodology
Neste Corporation
Susanna Sieppi
Vice President, Communications
Further information:
Neste: Please contact Neste’s media service, tel. +358 800 94025 / media@neste.com (weekdays from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. EET). Please subscribe to Neste’s releases at https://www.neste.com/for-media/releases-and-news/subscribe.
Brussels Airlines: Brussels Airlines’ media hotline, tel +32 2 723 89 90 / press@brusselsairlines.com
Neste in brief
Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. We refine waste, residues and innovative raw materials into renewable fuels and sustainable feedstock for plastics and other materials. We are the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel and developing chemical recycling to combat the plastic waste challenge. We aim at helping customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions with our renewable and circular solutions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030. Our ambition is to make the Porvoo oil refinery in Finland the most sustainable refinery in Europe by 2030. We are introducing renewable and recycled raw materials such as liquefied waste plastic as refinery raw materials. We have committed to reaching carbon-neutral production by 2035, and we will reduce the carbon emission intensity of sold products by 50% by 2040. We also have set high standards for biodiversity, human rights and supply chain. We have consistently been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies. In 2021, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 15.1 billion. Read more: neste.com
Brussels Airlines in brief
Brussels Airlines is the home carrier of Belgium and one of the four network airlines of the Lufthansa Group. It connects the European capital from Brussels Airport with over 85 destinations, 17 of which are in Sub Saharan Africa. The company employs 3,200 people and operates 41 aircraft.
Brussels Airlines aims to emit 50% less CO2 by 2030 compared to 2019 and plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. The airline is participating in the Stargate Project led by Brussels Airport and is therefore part of the testing ground for sustainable aviation at its home base. In addition, the airline signed the Circular Economy agreement of the Antwerp Management School in 2021. In 2023 and 2024, Brussels Airlines welcomes five state-of-the-art Airbus A320neo allowing the airline to significantly lower its CO2- and noise-emissions on its medium-haul network. Next to that, the airline aims to operate its first flight using Sustainable Aviation fuel (SAF) by 2023.
As an ambassador of its country, Brussels Airlines brings the world to Belgium and the best of Belgium to the world, among others through collaborations with Belgian Star Chefs, Belgian culinary products and the Belgian Icons, specially painted aircraft that honor a Belgian iconic person, team or event to promote Belgian culture worldwide.
More information on brusselsairlines.com
Tags:
