Total starts production of sustainable aviation fuel in France

Total has begun producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at its La Mède biorefinery in southern France and its Oudalle facility near Le Havre. The biojet fuel, made from used cooking oil, will be delivered to French airports starting in April 2021.

Total will also be able to produce sustainable aviation fuel at its zero-crude Grandpuits platform, southeast of Paris, from 2024.

All of these sustainable aviation fuels will be made from animal fat, used cooking oil and other waste and residue sourced from the circular economy. Total will not use vegetable oils as feedstock. 

In this way, Total will be in a position to respond from its production sites in France to new French legislation that calls for aircraft to use at least 1% biojet fuel by 2022, 2% by 2025 and 5% by 2030.

The development of sustainable aviation fuel is one of the strategic paths being pursued by Total to meet the challenge of carbon neutrality, as biojet fuels help reduce CO2 emissions from air transportation. 

“By producing sustainable aviation fuel at our French sites today, we are able to respond to strong demand from an aviation industry looking to reduce its carbon footprint, while adapting our industrial resources. As a broad energy company, we support our customers by providing innovative solutions to reduce their emissions. This commitment is fully aligned with Total’s climate ambition to get to net zero emissions by 2050,” said Bernard Pinatel, president of Refining & Chemicals at Total. 

Total is involved in numerous initiatives to produce and market sustainable aviation fuel in partnership with aviation industry partners. The Group will reach a new milestone in May 2021 with the creation of a dedicated Renewable Fuels Business Unit.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel is a practical alternative to fossil-based jet fuel. It significantly reduces the CO2 emissions from air transportation and can be used as a drop-in fuel as of today, without any need to modify existing supply chain infrastructure, aircraft or engines.

In related news, Total will not restart base oils production at its 240,000 barrel per day Gonfreville refinery in France, according to the GCT union, although the company plans to resume crude processing at the refinery in May.

The Group I base oils unit at Gonfreville had been expected to resume operations this summer, after a fire damaged the refinery’s crude distillation unit more than a year ago.