Airbus Canada and the Advancement of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The aviation industry is moving toward a more sustainable future with the recent implementation of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at Airbus Canada’s A220 plant. With the first delivery of SAF at its Mirabel facility, crews can now use this fuel in production, customer acceptance, and test flights. This milestone marks a significant achievement for the company, as all of its commercial aircraft assembly plants worldwide now use SAF in their internal operations.

Expanding SAF Use in 2025

During 2025, all Airbus commercial aircraft delivery centers will offer SAF to their customers for transshipment flights. At the Mirabel plant, more than 600,000 liters of SAF with a 30% blend are expected to be used, reducing approximately 400 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.

Benoît Schultz, CEO of Airbus Canada, highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating: “On average, SAF can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel. This substantial reduction is crucial to the industry’s progress toward decarbonization by 2050. It is a major milestone that our Mirabel plant in Canada has the same SAF capacity as other Airbus plants. This not only means we will be able to test our A220 aircraft with SAF, but also deliver them to our customers with SAF.”

Results and Outlook

In 2024, SAF represented 18% of the global fuel mix used by Airbus, reaching more than 16 million liters of pure SAF. Furthermore, 75% of aircraft delivered globally were fueled with SAF, demonstrating the company’s and its customers’ commitment to decarbonizing the aviation industry.

To ensure efficient SAF management at Mirabel, the mass balance principle has been implemented. This process involves blending SAF with conventional aviation fuel (CAF) in the plant’s tanks, following established regulations and an auditable accounting system. Airbus Canada also plans to offer A220 customers the SAF Proof of Sustainability (PoS) starting in 2025, consolidating its commitment to transparency and sustainability.

Operational Capability and 2030 Targets

Currently, all Airbus aircraft are certified to operate with up to 50% SAF, with the ambition to achieve 100% compatibility by 2030.

The Airbus plant in Mirabel, with over 140,000 square meters, includes final assembly lines, a customer service center, a flight test center, and a new delivery center. With more than 3,500 employees, these facilities play a key role in the development and production of the A220, a model that has been incorporating SAF in its deliveries since 2016.

With this progress, Airbus continues to strengthen its leadership in the transition toward more sustainable aviation, consolidating its commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of the global airline industry.

Press Release By Airbus

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