- British Airways becomes the first airline in the world to use sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) produced on a commercial scale in the UK after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66 Limited
- SAF is produced from sustainable sources such as waste gases, crop and forestry residues, household and commercial waste and used cooking oil, and can reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by over 80% compared to traditional jet fuel
- The delivery of the first batch of SAF from Phillips 66 Limited is another significant milestone for the airline as it delivers a range of initiatives to decarbonise and achieve net zero emissions by 2050
- British Airways has also today published its 2021 Sustainability Report looking at the progress and milestones achieved last year and following the launch of its BA Better World programme. It has also published the first video in the airline’s newly launched sustainability docuseries, with this one explaining how sustainable aviation fuel is produced and how it delivers emissions benefits
British Airways has taken delivery of the first batch of sustainable aviation fuel produced by Phillips 66 Limited, making it the first airline in the world to start using SAF produced on a commercial scale in the UK.
The Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham is producing thousands of tonnes of SAF that will now help power a number of British Airways flights. The SAF is produced from sustainable waste feedstock at the refinery and British Airways will add it into the existing pipeline infrastructure that directly feeds several UK airports including London Heathrow.
British Airways and Phillips 66 are both committed to a lower carbon future. The sustainable aviation fuel bought by the airline will be enough to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, enough to power 700 net zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on its fuel-efficient Boeing 787 aircraft.
Both companies support Government plans for a future SAF mandate and a business model for investing in advanced waste to jet fuel projects through participation in the Department for Transport’s Jet Zero Council Delivery Group. British Airways also continues to work with Government on ways to provide certainty for investors to help the UK be a leader in SAF production.
International Airlines Group (IAG), the airline’s parent company, is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF and British Airways has existing partnerships with several companies to develop plants and purchase the sustainable fuel.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive, said: “Being the first airline to source sustainable aviation fuel produced at commercial scale in the UK is another breakthrough moment for us and the airline industry.
“Our supplies of SAF from Phillips 66 Limited will allow us to progress with our ambitious roadmap to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner and will play a role in our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group (IAG), to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030.
“Progressing the development and commercial scale up of sustainable aviation fuel will be a game changer and crucial to reducing the aviation sector’s reliance on fossil fuels and improving the UK’s energy supply resilience. I’m confident that Britain can take a leading role on the global stage in this space, creating green jobs and export opportunities, if industry, developers and Government continue to collaborate and make it a key focus area.”
Darren Cunningham, Lead Executive UK and General Manager Humber Refinery, said: “Phillips 66 Humber Refinery is proud to supply British Airways with sustainable aviation fuel. We were the first in the UK to co-process waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale. We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start.
“The strategic collaboration and supply agreement confirm each companies’ commitment to a lower carbon future. The production of SAF is just one of a number of decarbonisation projects we are currently progressing, and we are excited by the role that we play in supplying the UK with the fuels it needs, both now and in the future.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s great to see British Airways is the first airline in the world that started using sustainable aviation fuel produced at scale in the UK – an important milestone towards our ambitious Jet Zero targets.
“The fact it’s being produced here in the UK is a perfect demonstration how Britain continues to be a pioneer in developing green aviation technology and the Government will meet its 2050 net zero target.
“We can create thousands of green jobs while reducing the impact that flying has on the environment, so we can continue to connect and travel in a greener way.”
Customers can now also join British Airways on its journey to reach net zero by 2050 through its onboard Speedbird Café menu app. A new category can be found on the BA Better World tab labelled ‘Contribute to Carbon Offsets’, where customers on short-haul European flights can help fund carbon reduction projects around the world. The £2.50 contribution represents the carbon compensation of an average British Airways European return flight per customer, and the funds are invested in verified CO2 emissions reduction and avoidance projects.
Launching BA Better World in September 2021, British Airways made a commitment to create a better, more sustainable future with a focus on people, planet and responsible business. Today the airline is publishing its latest sustainability report looking back at the milestones and achievements of the last year and has also launched its new sustainability docuseries, with the first video being all about SAF. The report can be found here and the video here.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
About British Airways
As a global airline and the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they need to be for more than 100 years.
The airline connects Britain with the world and the world with Britain, operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks together with its joint business, codeshare and franchise partners.
British Airways flies to destinations in more than 65 countries. Its principal place of business is London, with its main home at Heathrow Terminal 5. British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, which serves around 1,000 destinations across the globe.
In 2021, the airline won six Business Traveller Awards including Best Short-Haul Carrier, Best Airport Lounge, Best Frequent Flyer Programme, Best Travel App and Best New Seat.
In September 2021, British Airways launched its sustainability programme, BA Better World, committing to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and with a clear roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The airline is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions through a series of short, medium- and long-term initiatives. In the short-term this includes improving operational efficiency, introducing new fuel efficient aircraft, funding carbon offset and removal projects to mitigate emissions on UK domestic flights and progressively introducing sustainable aviation fuels using waste feedstocks, while in the medium to longer term this includes continuing to invest in the development and scale up of sustainable aviation fuel and looking at accelerating the growth of new technologies such as zero emissions hydrogen-powered aircraft and carbon capture technology.
- More details on British Airways’ sustainability programme, BA Better World can be found here
- More details on the airline’s partnership with LanzaJet to develop and offtake SAF can be found here.
- More details on the airline’s partnership with Velocys to develop and offtake SAF can be found here.
- More detail on British Airways’ partnerships to develop sustainable aviation fuel which have received Government funding can be found here.
The airline’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), was the first airline group in the world to commit to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
About Phillips 66
Phillips 66 is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company. With a portfolio of Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties businesses, the company processes, transports, stores and markets fuels and products globally. Headquartered in Houston, the company has 14,000 employees committed to safety and operating excellence. Phillips 66 had $56 billion of assets as of Dec. 31, 2021. For more information, visit www.phillips66.com or follow us on Twitter @Phillips66Co
