Shell Aviation supports SkyNRG to develop Europe’s first sustainable aviation fuel plant

Shell announced that it will support SkyNRG to develop Europe’s first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant.

The development of the DSL-01 production plant in Delfzijl, Netherlands, is led by SkyNRG, a global market leader for SAF and a long-term strategic partner of Shell Aviation. Shell will bring its technical and commercial expertise to the development of the plant, and through participation in the project will secure the option to purchase sustainable aviation fuel produced at the facility.

“Shell Aviation are proud to be part of the DSL-01 project: this first dedicated plant is a crucial milestone in accelerating the supply of sustainable aviation fuels in Europe and will contribute to a reduction in emissions in the aviation sector,” said Anna Mascolo, vice president of Shell Aviation. “When it comes to carbon emissions, the aviation industry needs collaboration amongst industry players, it needs support to drive technical innovation and investments, and last but not least it needs a multiple set of solutions that help drive a faster transition to a net zero emissions world. At Shell we have started the journey, although we recognise there is a lot more to do to avoid, reduce and offset carbon emissions.”

The DSL-01 production facility is on schedule for commissioning in 2022, representing the earliest dedicated commercial supply of sustainable aviation fuel to the aviation market in Europe. The plant will annually produce 100,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel, corresponding to a reduction in lifecycle CO2 equivalent emissions of approximately 270,000 tonnes. The plant will also produce naphtha, and 15,000 tonnes of bioLPG annually as a by-product. Earlier, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has committed itself for a 10-year period to the development and purchase of 75,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel a year.

The feedstocks used for production will be waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil, sourced predominantly from regional industries. The facility will run on sustainable hydrogen, produced locally to the site in the Groningen Seaport. The combined benefits of the feedstocks, sustainable hydrogen, and use of low carbon energy to power production, will contribute to the production of sustainable aviation fuel with lifecycle carbon emissions approximately 85% lower than conventional jet fuels, as estimated by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials.“This is an important project for the development of the sustainable aviation fuel market, and with its global operational experience and technical expertise, Shell is a natural partner to help accelerate its progress. The shared ambitions and collaborative approach of the companies involved sends a strong signal to the rest of our industry of the actions required to deliver a sustainable future for aviation,” said Maarten van Dijk, managing director of SkyNRG.