As part of the COP26 climate conference, Deutsche Post DHL Group has announced a new partnership with Neste to supply the DHL Express division with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at the UK’s East Midlands Airport. In total, DHL will purchase SAF for more than €60m by mid-2022, around 70,000 tons of CO2. DHL has a 2030 target of meeting at least 30% of its fuel needs in aviation through sustainable fuels.
“We have pledged to invest approximately € 7bn by 2030 in clean operations, within the framework of our Sustainability Roadmap”, says Melanie Kreis, CFO Deutsche Post DHL Group and Steering Committee Member of the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow coalition.
Neste will be the SAF’s main supplier to DHL Express at East Midlands Airport, suppling the company with the new fuel. The renewable part is produced from Used Cooking Oil (UCO), while avoiding palm oil. DHL will now transport 1,500 tons of airfreight weekly in a sustainable way from the UK on around 165 European and 35 intercontinental flights.
“We need to reduce carbon emissions by using imaginative solutions available today. With the investment in our East Midlands Hub, we use SAF for around 200 network flights a week departing from the UK”, added John Pearson, CEO DHL Express.
DHL Express is making use of the Renewable Transport Fuel Certificate (RTFC) incentive program. Schemes like the RTFC provide support to ramp up SAF in the market. The company introduced SAF in San Francisco (SFO) and Amsterdam (AMS) and plans to equip more airports with SAF this year.
Source: DHL
