Neste and Genève Aéroport to decarbonize aviation towards fossil neutral growth

Neste and Genève Aéroport to decarbonize aviation towards fossil neutral growth

ESPOO, 14-Sep-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — Neste and Genève Aéroport are pioneering together to make flying more sustainable by starting to decarbonize aviation towards fossil neutral growth. Genève Aéroport is planning the introduction of renewable jet fuel for aircraft operations from Geneva International Airport; the target shall be at least 1% (one percent) of the annual jet fuel consumption at Genève Aéroport shall be composed of renewable jet fuel starting late 2018. This is an excellent example of a state, an airport and a renewable solutions provider collaborating to decrease CO₂ emissions in aviation.

“Genève Aéroport is exemplary in sustainability with its ambitious goals to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. We are very excited to collaborate with Genève Aéroport and their airline partners to show the way to the aviation sector. We both share the common view that decreasing CO₂ emissions in aviation is crucial in combating climate change. This is an important step for Neste in implementing our growth strategy for renewables in applications outside road traffic fuels. Neste MY Renewable Jet Fuel is Neste’s sustainable solution for reducing CO₂ emissions in aviation,” says Kaisa Hietala, Executive Vice President in the Renewable Product business area in Neste.

“As aviation is growing, airports have a crucial role in taking initiatives which aim at reducing environmental impact. Genève Aéroport is particularly pleased to work in this very ambitious project together with Neste, the Swiss authorities, airlines operating from Geneva, and locally established fuel companies,” says André Schneider, CEO of Genève Aéroport.

Aviation will grow heavily in the future – emissions reduction in focus

Aviation is the fastest growing means of transport and thus emissions will grow substantially. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has set a target that from 2020 onwards the growth in aviation is carbon-neutral. Currently, the only viable alternative to fossil liquid fuels for powering commercial aircraft is sustainable renewable jet fuel, which is one the most efficient means of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. It can be adopted immediately without the need for additional investments in new fuel distribution infrastructure.

For Neste, the development of Neste MY Renewable Jet Fuel(TM) has been a long journey taking several years:  from building proof of concept to ensuring the quality and performance that fully meet the aviation industry’s expectations. Neste’s renewable jet fuel technology and quality is proven in thousands of commercial flights by e.g. Lufthansa and is now ready for commercialization.

Neste is the world’s leading renewable diesel producer from waste and residues, and with its renewable diesel it has helped to decarbonize traffic by 33 million tons over the past 10 years. This is equivalent to 2 years’ emissions from the Swiss transport sector. Now this expertise and renewable solution is available for aviation.

Neste Corporation

Kaisa Lipponen
Director, Corporate Communications

More information:

Kaisa Hietala, Executive Vice President, Renewable Products business area, Neste, tel. +358 10 458 4128; 
André Schneider, CEO of Genève Aéroport, via Bertrand Stämpfli, Head of communication, tel. +41 22 717 70 13

Genève Aéroport in brief

With 16.5 million passengers in 2016, of whom a significant number are business travelers, Genève Aéroport has a special place in European air traffic. It has a strong network of 142 direct destinations, of which 23 are intercontinental. Sustainability is one the strategic goals in the development of the airport’s actions.

Neste in brief

Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates sustainable choices for the needs of transport, businesses and consumers.  Our global range of products and services allows customers to reduce their carbon footprint by combining high-quality renewable products and oil products to tailor-made service solutions. We are the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel refined from waste and residues, and we are also bringing renewable solutions to the aviation and plastics industries. We want to be a reliable partner, whose expertise, R&D and sustainable practices are widely respected. In 2016, Neste’s net sales stood at EUR 11.7 billion, and we were on the Global 100 list of the 100 most sustainable companies in the world. Read more: neste.com

SOURCE: Neste