• Tom Boon-169
    Lufthansa
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    LH/DLH
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Frankfurt Airport, Munich Airport
    Year Founded:
    1953
    Alliance:
    Star Alliance
    Airline Group:
    Lufthansa Group
    CEO:
    Carsten Spohr
    Country:
    Germany

Despite already being the largest Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) customer in Europe, the Lufthansa Group is looking to buy even more. This comes after the airline group and Shell International Petroleum Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for exploring an even larger supply of SAF at airports worldwide.

Nearly two million metric tons

The two parties intend to initially agree on a contract for a supply volume of up to 1.8 million metric tons of SAF starting in 2024, for approximately seven years. Such an agreement would be one of the most significant commercial SAF cooperations in the aviation sector, and the biggest SAF commitment of both Lufthansa Group and Shell to date. Once properly negotiated and defined, the agreement builds on Shell's ambition to have at least ten percent of its global aviation fuel sales as SAF by 2030, and further enables the Lufthansa Group to remain one of the world's leading airline groups using sustainable kerosene.

Jan Toschka, President, Shell Aviation, commented:

"I am thrilled to see the relationship between Shell and the Lufthansa Group moving towards reaching our respective sustainability goals. It is encouraging to see large flagship carriers coming to us to discuss SAF supply deals, knowing there will be many things to be defined and determined later, including established price markers. Our relationship goes beyond commercial arrangements – it is strategic and aligned regarding the view that SAF holds the key to achieving a sustainable aviation future."

Lufthansa Airbus A340-642 D-AIHE
The airline will now have to focus on getting its pilots' salary issues resolved. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Unlike most SAF supply arrangements where the fuel is produced from only one technology, the potential SAF to be supplied by Shell will be made by up to four approved technological pathways and from a broader range of sustainable feedstocks. Katja Kleffmann, head of fuel management supply at Lufthansa Group, said:

“We are happy to enhance our long-standing global business with Shell by signing this MoU. As an industry, we have to work jointly toward making flying more sustainable and to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Shell is very experienced with the global handling of jet fuel and that is one key element for our trust for smooth operations of SAF.”

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Sustainability with Lufthansa

Given how sustainably driven the Lufthansa Group has been in ensuring adequate climate protection, SAF availability remains an important goal with a clearly defined path toward carbon neutrality. In fact, passengers of the airline group have already been flying carbon neutral. The Lufthansa Group has been involved in SAF research for many years, has built an extensive network of partnerships, and is driving forward the introduction of sustainable next-generation aviation fuels.

One particular focus is on forward-looking power-to-liquid and sun-to-liquid technologies, which use renewable energies or solar thermal energy as energy carriers to ensure SAF becomes steadily available at larger quantities and lower prices. Both technologies use electricity made from renewable energy sources to manufacture synthetic crude oil that can be processed into kerosene. Lufthansa Group airline SWISS is set to become the first customer for solar kerosene in 2023.

Lufthansa Boeing 747-8i
 Photo: Lufthansa
Passengers of the Lufthansa Group, and generally other airlines, use the Compensaid platform to offset their carbon emissions. Photo: Lufthansa

Besides using SAF, the airline group has undergone several phases of committing to sustainability, from accelerating fleet renewals for new-generation aircraft to continually optimizing flight operations. The European airline group also has a dedicated center for innovative climate protection technology, known as the CleanTech Hub. Through its efforts that extend to all the airlines and even the cargo and engineering subsidiaries, it is undoubted that the Lufthansa Group continually sticks to its motto of making change fly.