Business

Aer Lingus parent IAG signs agreement to buy new carbon-friendly fuel

eSAF expected to reduce emissions by 90% compared to conventional jet fuel without changing engine design

Infinium will supply Aer Lingus parent, IAG, with a new ultra-low carbon fuel from late-2026 to help cut emissions significantly.
Infinium will supply Aer Lingus parent, IAG, with a new ultra-low carbon fuel from late-2026 to help cut emissions significantly.
Colin Gleeson
Mon Nov 25 2024 - 09:06

Aer Lingus parent International Airlines Group (IAG) has signed a deal to purchase a new type of fuel that is expected to reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 90 per cent compared to today’s conventional jet fuel.

IAG announced the purchase agreement with producer Infinium, which plans to supply the UK market with power-to-liquid electro-sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) from late-2026.

Group sustainability officer Jonathon Counsell said: “So far, we’re on track to deliver our 10 per cent 2030 sustainable aviation fuel goal and agreements with innovators like Infinium are key to reaching this target.”

Under the terms of the ten-year agreement, Infinium will supply IAG with e-SAF to support any of its five airlines – Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL and Vueling. It is a “drop-in” replacement for aviation fuel that requires no changes to existing aircraft engine designs.

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Last year, IAG airlines used approximately 12 per cent of the world’s supply of sustainable aviation fuel. IAG said the deal supports the scale-up of e-SAF, which is manufactured through a process that converts water, waste carbon dioxide and renewable power into fuel.

The airline group said the fuel is not encumbered by feedstock limitations, has a higher degree of emissions reduction versus conventional jet fuel and has a relatively low land and water-use footprint.

“Aviation as an industry is working hard to decarbonise and policy should focus on solutions such as sustainable aviation fuel, rather than only increasing costs which risk affecting the competitiveness of the European aviation industry,” said Mr Counsell.

“What the industry needs is additional policy support to attract funds to construct sustainable aviation fuel plants and reduce aviation’s reliance on fossil fuels.”

The e-SAF will be produced at Infinium’s Project Roadrunner facility, located in the Texas in the United States.

Project Roadrunner is set to be the largest global producer of e-SAF once fully operational and has received funding commitments from Brookfield Asset Management and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst. It is Infinium’s second e-fuels project, being developed after the Project Pathfinder in Corpus Christi, also in Texas.

Infinium chief executive Robert Schuetzle said the group was “proud” that IAG has chosen it to help towards its sustainability goals.

“Long-term, bankable commitments like these are what drive the ability to ramp up production of e-SAF, which is a critical milestone for the airline industry and for e-fuels as an alternative to both fossil-based fuels and prior generations of sustainable aviation fuel,” he said.

As part of its sustainability roadmap, IAG said it is also investing in new aircraft and implementing fuel efficiency initiatives and advancing carbon removal to reduce emissions from its operations.

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Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson is an Irish Times reporter

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