Kuehne+Nagel and Lufthansa Cargo have announced a partnership aimed at the promotion and use of synthetic fuel from atmosfair, an environmental and development organisation based in Berlin. Both logistics providers have jointly committed to supporting the world’s first production site for synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Werlte, Emsland in Germany by purchasing 25,000 litres per year for the next five years.
Synthetic fuels have not yet been produced industrially and are available only in laboratory quantities, however it is considered capable of bringing the CO2 footprint of aircraft engines to zero. It is hoped that the partnership will contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, as well as encourage other companies to commit to creating a low-carbon economy.
Both companies consider power-to-liquid as a key technology in the pursuit of a carbon-neutral aviation network. There are two main types of sustainable aviation fuel – bio SAF and synthetic SAF. Bio SAF is produced from biomass (waste products and feedstocks with low carbon content), however synthetic SAF is produced from sources such as renewable electricity, water and carbon dioxide. Until now, both Kuehne+Nagel and Lufthansa Cargo have used bio SAF to reduce the carbon footprint of air freight. However, both providers consider synthetic SAF as a long-term solution for the industry as it can be produced without availability limits and avoid biomass supply limitations. Additionally, synthetic SAF can reduce emissions by up to 100%.
CEO of Lufthansa Cargo Dorothea von Boxberg commented: “We clearly see the key to a sustainable reduction of our emissions in flight operations in the research and use of synthetic, sustainable aviation fuels. The fact that we are now pioneering power-to-liquid technology together with Kuehne+Nagel makes us particularly proud and shows once again that we are actively tackling our climate protection challenges.”
Source: Kuehne+Nagel
