Gazprom Neft and partners established Russia´s 1st association for developing of low-carbon SAF

St.Petersburg, December 15 - Neftegaz.RU. Gazprom Neft, together with Airbus, Aeroflot, S7 Group, Volga-Dnepr Group, Zhukovsky Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) and the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation (FGUP GosNII GA) has established Russia’s 1^st technological alliance for developing green aviation fuel.

Andrey Chikhanchin, Deputy CEO for Commerce & Finance, Aeroflot, noted:

• The Aeroflot Group has made a major contribution to boosting ecological efficiency, reducing our emissions factor by 30% over the past 10 years
• By signing this declaration to create the SAF-Alliance Aeroflot has taken another step towards the future as we affirm our commitment to the industry’s environmental priorities

The Eurasian SAF-Alliance will facilitate the use of environmentally friendly aviation fuel, fully compliant with international standards, at Russian airports.
Members of the Eurasian SAF-Alliance are aiming for the 1^st bio-fuelled flight to take place no later than 2024.

Julien Franiatte, Head of Country Russia, Airbus, commented:

• Today, together with key companies in the aviation industry, we have taken the 1^st step towards more environmentally friendly aviation in Russia
• All Airbus passenger aircraft are, already, certified to fly on 50%-blend SAF, and we are now pursuing certification for 100% use
• We will be delighted to share our knowledge with our partners in the Alliance

The Gazprom Neft Industrial Innovations Technology Centre will act as the Alliance’s main research facility - the company’s cutting-edge science base here facilitating the development of effective green aviation fuel formulations, as well as the technologies for their subsequent commercial production.
Pilot batches of SAF will be produced at Gazprom Neft’s refineries in Moscow and Omsk.

Anatoly Cherner, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprom Neft, said:

• Thanks to scientific competencies, as well as the full-scale modernisation and development of our refineries, Gazprom Neft is actively developing the environmentally-friendly sector, for all kinds of transport
• Now, in conjunction with airlines, aircraft manufacturers and scientific institutions, we are ready to start work on new R&D in green aviation fuel - something unique to the industry in Russia
• Establishing the Eurasian SAF-Alliance will make it possible to bring together expertise from all players in the aviation-transport market, and make the process of developing a Russian aviation bio-fuel more efficient

The Eurasian SAF-Alliance is an open forum through which aviation-industry market participants throughout the green jet-fuel value chain can engage.
A roadmap on investigating the operational properties of SAF fuel, as well as supporting R&D and developing technical regulations and standards for wing-tip refuelling is to be put in place, to that end.