Sustainable aviation fuel – providing a lower carbon alternative

We are playing a vital role in the industry, working with airlines, fuel producers and trade bodies, to increase the supply and demand of sustainable aviation fuel. For example:

• We were involved in fuelling the first SAF flight by an airline in February 2008 and since then we’ve been enabling ground-breaking test flights and investing in sustainable alternatives.
• Our fuel research and development team and product quality experts have played a key role in the development of supporting processes and industry approvals.
  • bp and Johnson Matthey have developed a simple-to-operate and cost-advantaged Fisher-Tropsch technology that can operate both at large and small scale to economically convert synthesis gas, generated from sources such as municipal solid waste and other renewable biomass, into long-chain hydrocarbons suitable for the production of SAF.
  • bp were a key participant in the development of fuel specifications for SAF through industry bodies ASTM and the Aviation Fuels committee.

• Our SAF reuses and recycles cooking oils and in the future household wastes (giving waste another life) and has around 80% fewer lifecycle carbon emissions than traditional jet fuel.
• We pioneered the first commercial supply of sustainable aviation fuel through an existing hydrant fuelling system in 2016.

• In 2016 we created a strategic partnership with Fulcrum BioEnergy. Through our strategic partnership, Fulcrum will ultimately supply us with at least 50 million US gallons of SAF per year. Once operational they will provide low cost sustainable aviation fuel made from household waste.

• We are one of the leading marketers of SAF globally and have supplied SAF to over 30 locations and counting.