Iberia has announced that Iberia Maintenance has commenced the use of Cepsa’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in their engine test benches. Cepsa’s SAF is produced in the company’s La Rábida Energy Park from organic waste and used cooking oils.
On Wednesday (August 28, 2024), Iberia announced that Iberia Maintenance has started using SAF in their engine testbeds. The SAF has been provided by Cepsa, and was produced at their La Rábida Energy Park (Huelva) from organic waste and used cooking oils. Iberia expects this initiative to save 115 tonnes of CO2 annually, reinforcing the carrier’s commitment to the decarbonization of the aviation industry. Throughout the year, Iberia Maintenance will use 5.0 percent SAF in their engine test bed at the La Muñoza facility near Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport, with Cepsa providing 36 tonnes of SAF.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Iberia’s Director of Sustainability, Teresa Parejo, said,
“We are very proud to have taken another step towards the decarbonisation of the sector with the use of SAF in our test bench, which will allow us to reduce our CO2 emissions by 115 tonnes. Collaboration, technology, and innovation are the essential elements to achieve the industry's goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.”
Also commenting on the sustainability collaboration, Cepsa’s Head of Sustainable Aviation, Marta Cencillo, added,
“We continue to take steps together with Iberia to facilitate the sustainability of their operations and promote sustainable aviation. We work to keep being a reference in the production and distribution of SAF, which will be essential in the coming years to achieve the decarbonisation objectives of the aviation sector.”
This is just the latest in a range of initiatives that Iberia’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), is undertaking with the goal of achieving net zer0 emissions by 2050. Iberia’s sustainability strategy focuses on five pillars, which include water management, the use of SAF, the reduction of volatile compounds and solvents, the reduction of energy consumption, and recycling.
In an effort to guarantee the commercialization of SAF in the aviation sector, Cepsa has started the construction of the largest second-generation biofuels plant in southern Europe, which together with Bio-Oils, represents a €1.2 billion investment. The facility will open in 2026 in Palos de la Frontera (Huelva), and will have a production capacity of 500,000 tonnes of SAF and renewable diesel.
Iberia Maintenance’s engine test bench has a test cell with a 90,000 lb. capacity, which is licensed to certify four types of engines, including CFM 56-5B/7B, RB 211, V2500, and Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines. During 2023, Iberia Maintenance carried out over 170 engine inductions.
Source: Iberia
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