Emirates launches the first sustainable fuel aircraft

Emirates Airlines, the long-haul carrier, has successfully piloted a Boeing 777 on a test flight using one of its engines entirely on what is known as sustainable aviation fuel.

sustainable aviation fuel

It comes as carriers around the world are trying to reduce carbon emissions.

Flight 2646 circled for less than an hour on the coast of the United Arab Emirates, after taking off from Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest airport for international travel.

And headed to the Persian Gulf before flying on the ground. The aircraft's second GE engine was powered by conventional jet fuel for safety's sake.

“This flight is a defining moment for Emirates and a positive step for our industry as we work collectively to address one of the biggest challenges we face – reducing our carbon footprint,” said Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer.

Emirates described the sustainable fuel as a blend that "reflects the qualities of jet fuel". They included fuel from Neste, a Finnish company, and Virent, based in Madison, Wisconsin.

Virent describes itself as using plant sugars to make the compounds needed for sustainable jet fuel, while Neste fuel comes from vegetable oils and animal fats.

These fuels reduce the release of heat-trapping carbon dioxide, which is normally burned by engines during flight.

sixth of the amount of carbon dioxide

Aviation emits only a sixth of the amount of carbon dioxide that cars and trucks produce.

Aircraft and engine manufacturers are working to design more efficient models, in part to help lower jet fuel costs - one of the biggest expenses airlines faces.

For example, Emirates airline used more than 5.7 million tons of jet fuel last year alone, which cost it $3.7 billion out of the $17 billion in annual expenditures.

Raising ticket prices

Sustainable fuel can be three times as expensive as jet fuel or more, likely raising ticket prices as flying resumes after lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic.

It was not immediately clear how much the fuel used in Monday's Emirates test cost per barrel. The price of jet fuel averaged $146 a barrel at the end of last week, according to S&P Global Platts.

The UAE, a major oil producer and member of OPEC, is set to host the next United Nations climate negotiations, or COP28, which begin in November.