One of the world’s leading countries in carbon reduction has turned its attention to aviation and is proposing a mandatory greenhouse gas reduction timetable for jet fuel.
Sweden aims to be completely free of fossil fuel by 2045. As a part of the initiative it proposes to decarbonise aviation by setting an ambitious target for the reduction of aviation greenhouse gas emission.
If the proposal is adopted, the reduction level will be 0.8% less aviation greenhouse gas emission in 2021, gradually increasing to 27% in 2030. The reduction levels are estimated to be equivalent of 1% (11,000 tons) sustainable aviation fuel in 2021, 5% (56,000 tons) in 2025 and 30% (340,000 tons) in 2030. This makes Sweden an undisputed leader in decarbonising aviation.
Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel refined from waste and residues, has welcomed the proposal.
“We need forerunners and courageous countries to lead the way in sustainable growth of aviation,” its chief executive, Peter Vanacker, said.
“I want to congratulate Sweden – it has set the bar very high on what comes to aviation emission reduction by using renewable jet fuel.
“This announcement sets a clear and bold target and shows the direction aviation must take in order to reach its emission reduction target. Also, it creates the necessary predictability in demand for Neste and other renewable jet fuel producers to invest in increasing the production.”
Neste is an oil refining and marketing company, based in Espoo, Finland, a city not everyone has heard of. Neste is placed in the top three on the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies and is the number one ranked energy company in the world. It has just invested the equivalent of AUD 2.24 billion in low-carbon products in Singapore.
Scandinavia is well ahead of the pack in sustainability. Norway has just announced a 0.5% biofuel blending mandate in 2020.
Neste estimates there will be enough capacity on the market to supply the anticipated volumes of renewable jet fuel to Sweden and Norway. The company has produced the world’s first commercial-scale volumes of Neste MY Renewable Jet Fuel, made out of waste and residues. It is now scaling up the volume. Neste will build new capacity to enable production of renewable jet fuel up to 1 million tons annually by 2022.
A statement from Neste Corporation noted that he global aviation industry has set ambitious targets to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from air transport, including carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and beyond, and a 50% reduction of net aviation carbon emissions by 2050.
“Aviation needs multiple solutions for greenhouse gas emission reduction. Currently, sustainable aviation fuel offers the only viable alternative to fossil liquid fuels for powering aircraft.”
Written by Peter Needham
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