Air bp’s sustainable aviation fuel takes off at France’s Clermont Ferrand Airport

Air bp, the international aviation fuel products and service supplier, has supplied sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Clermont Ferrand Auvergne Airport (CFE) in France, marking its first ongoing supply of the fuel in the country. The first fuelling took place on 19 April when Air bp customer, the airline company Michelin Air Services, uplifted the SAF. Michelin will be supplied according to agreed commitments for ongoing supply at the airport with all its volume supplied as the SAF blend. This demand from Michelin means that approximately 30% of the airport’s total volume will be supplied as this SAF blend.

This latest supply agreement reinforces the importance of collaboration between fuel supplier, airport and customer in driving demand for SAF and ultimately helps to meet the industry’s lower carbon goals.

Air bp can supply SAF to other customers at this location and encourages interested parties to come forward and work together to establish an agreement for the supply of SAF.

The SAF supplied by Air bp is made from waste based sustainable feedstocks such as used cooking oil which is blended with traditional jet fuel. The SAF blend supplied is around 35% SAF and the SAF component provides a lifecycle carbon reduction of around 80% compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces.

Corine Brunet, CEO, Michelin Air Services, said: “Michelin Air Services is committed to decarbonizing its flights with the use of the SAF supplied by Air bp, thereby illustrating the Michelin Group’s “All Sustainable” strategy. With Air bp, Michelin Air Services has found a partner that listens, makes proposals and is efficient in its implementation of this shared approach to seeking lower carbon options in the aviation sector.”

Andreea Moyes, sustainability director, Air bp, said: “We are excited to see our first ongoing SAF supply in France. Air bp is a strong facilitator in the supply of SAF and recently announced a number of agreements in the UK. This underlines bp’s commitment to working with stakeholders to explore its viable sale and purchase, which we believe is one of the aviation industry’s key routes to reducing carbon emissions and supports bp’s net zero ambition.”

Air bp was involved in fuelling the first SAF flight by an airline in February 2008 and since then has been enabling ground-breaking test flights and investing in sustainable alternative fuels.