OMV and Airbus partner to drive aviation decarbonisation

OMV, a global leader in energy production, and Airbus, a pioneer in aerospace innovation, have entered into a partnership to drive the decarbonisation of the aviation sector. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other innovative solutions that align with international climate goals.

The partnership leverages OMV’s expertise in producing SAF from renewable and recycled feedstocks and Airbus’ leadership in developing energy-efficient aircraft. By integrating their strengths, the two companies will work to scale SAF production and facilitate its adoption across the aviation industry.

“Transformative partnerships across the aviation value chain are crucial for building a robust SAF industry and accelerating the transition to a more sustainable future. Our partnership with Airbus underscores OMV’s dedication to innovation, sustainability, and excellence. SAF is a cornerstone of OMV’s Strategy 2030 and our path to climate neutrality,” said Martijn van Koten, member of the Executive Board and executive vice president, Fuels & Feedstock, OMV AG.

“The transition to sustainable aviation requires strong cross-industry collaboration. Joining forces with OMV, a leading European energy partner, is another important step on our journey towards the production and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels at scale. This partnership fits perfectly with Airbus’ ambition to enable a global net-zero aviation sector and we look forward to working with OMV to deliver on shared objectives,” said Julie Kitcher, chief sustainability officer and communications, Airbus.

Since March 2022, OMV has been producing SAF at its Schwechat refinery in Austria, utilising sustainable, locally sourced feedstocks such as used cooking oil through a co-processing method. The company is already supplying SAF to multiple airlines at Vienna Airport and has committed to delivering a cumulative total of 1.5 million tonnes of SAF by 2030. Additionally, in June 2024, OMV Petrom approved a significant investment to establish a SAF/HVO production facility alongside two green hydrogen plants at the Petrobrazi refinery in Romania.