Safran and TotalEnergies to develop sustainable aviation fuel

Safran, the world’s second largest aircraft equipment manufacturer, and TotalEnergies have signed a strategic partnership to jointly develop technical and commercial solutions to meet the challenges of decarbonising the aviation sector. In line with the two companies’ ambition for carbon neutrality by 2050, this major partnership aims to accelerate the reduction of CO2 emissions in the sector, in which sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) play an essential role.

The scope of the collaboration is based on the respective areas of excellence and expertise of Safran and TotalEnergies for the development and use of these fuels and to acquire a common and comprehensive vision of sectors and uses, by integrating the objectives of sustainable development as a whole.

This partnership aims, in the short term, to obtain compatibility of current engines with an incorporation rate of up to 100% SAF and in the longer term, to optimize the energy and environmental efficiency of engine/fuel pairs.

Collaboration could expand to new generation batteries

This collaboration could extend to other subjects such as the adaptation of fuel systems to AFS or the development of new generation batteries for electric motors.

The partnership is divided into three parts:

• Research, Technology and Innovation materialized by the development of technological bricks validated by tests of propulsion units on the ground and by demonstrations of engine tests in flight;
• Supply of sustainable aviation fuels produced in France by TotalEnergies, for the decarbonisation of Safran aircraft and helicopter engine tests at its French sites.
• Dialogue and Promotion through awareness-raising actions among public and private actors at national, European and international level.

Proactive strategy to decarbonise aviation sector

“I am delighted with this agreement, which is part of Safran’s proactive strategy to decarbonise aviation. Our ambition is to develop breakthrough technologies for ultra-efficient engines, 20% more economical than the current LEAP engine and 100% compatible with sustainable fuels. This cooperation with TotalEnergies demonstrates our commitment to limit our environmental footprint, to contribute to the carbon neutrality of the aviation sector, and thus to preserve this mode of transport which is essential to economic, social and cultural life,” said Olivier Andriès, chief executive officer of Safran.

“This strategic alliance contributes to the emergence of a French sector of sustainable aviation fuels and the electrification of aeronautics. TotalEnergies is resolutely committed to reducing its own carbon emissions and supporting its customers to do the same by offering them innovative and appropriate technological solutions. We are convinced that cooperation from all stakeholders in the aviation sector is necessary to achieve the objectives of energy transition towards carbon neutrality, ” said Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.

Sustainable aviation fuels are one of the immediately available solutions for a significant reduction in CO2 emissions from air transport because they can now be incorporated up to 50% without modifying the logistics infrastructure, aircraft or existing engines. Safran is a key player in projects aimed at enabling 100% incorporation of SAF into existing aircraft.  

French legislation now provides for the incorporation of 1% of biofuel on all flights departing from France from 2022, while the European Commission has the ambition to incorporate 2% of SAF in 2025 and 5% in 2030, as part of the European Green Deal.