A signing ceremony was held in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar and President-Elect of COP28, Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar. The agreement was signed by Mohammad Abdelqader El Ramahi, Managing Director of Green Hydrogen, Masdar and Mikail Houari, President of Airbus Africa and Middle East.
Several solutions for sustainable aviation
The agreement highlights areas of collaboration between the two companies, including sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), green hydrogen, direct air capture technologies, and support for the development and implementation of “book and claim” solutions. Direct air capture technologies capture atmospheric CO2 that could, in combination with hydrogen, be used to produce sustainable synthetic fuels. The use of sustainable aviation fuels based on green hydrogen and direct air capture is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95% compared to conventional jet fuel. According to Precedence Research, the global market for sustainable aviation fuels is expected to reach more than $14 billion by 2032.
Sustainable aviation fuels are an immediately available solution to significantly reduce CO2 emissions from global air travel. They can be used as an alternative fuel without modifying existing storage and refueling infrastructure, aircraft or engines. The gradual global incorporation of this fuel is expected to contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions from air transport and is a key element of a carbon neutral future for the global aviation industry.
A fuel from methanol
Earlier this year at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Masdar also announced that the Masdar-led initiative, focused on green hydrogen to produce sustainable aviation fuels, is actively working with licensees to certify a new pathway for sustainable aviation fuel production from methanol.
Founded in 2006, Masdar is a major player in clean energy in the United Arab Emirates, operating in more than 40 countries around the world. The company has invested in a portfolio of renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of approximately 20 gigawatts (GW). This agreement between Airbus and Masdar marks an important step towards developing sustainable solutions for the aviation industry, reducing CO2 emissions and enabling a transition to a more environmentally friendly future.
