Cepsa and Wizz Air have signed an agreement to accelerate the decarbonisation of air transport through research and production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), furthering the joint commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of air transport and fight climate change.
This sustainable fuel will be produced from organic waste, such as used cooking oils or agricultural waste, among others. These biofuels promote the circular economy, as they are produced from waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, as well as reducing aircraft emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional kerosene.
Before this alliance, both companies collaborated in the initiative promoted by Cepsa at the Seville Airport in November 2022, in which 220 flights, several of them from Wizz Air, departed from the Andalusian capital with SAF produced by Cepsa in its Park Energetic La Rábida, located in Huelva. This pioneering action became the first supply of SAF of these characteristics in an airport in southern Europe, as well as being the first time in Spain that the entire value chain had traceability certified by the ISCC EU (International Sustainability Carbon) system. Certification), from sustainable aviation fuel manufacturing to physical supply.
Tobi Pardo, Director of Aviation at Cepsa, stated: “At Cepsa we work to create solutions that make air transport more sustainable. Alliances such as the one reached with Wizz Air to promote the SAF are crucial in our path of decarbonization, which we address hand in hand with our clients”.
For his part, Ian Malin, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Wizz Air, stated: “We are delighted to partner with Cepsa, a renowned energy company, to establish a SAF supply chain for Wizz Air in Spain. In addition to flying the world’s most sustainable fleet, we are making biofuel a key element in maintaining our sustainability leadership and exceeding our commitment to reduce carbon intensity by 25% by 2030.”
This is an agreement aligned with the European Commission’s Fit for 55 set of measures, which includes the ‘RefuelEU Aviation’ legislative initiative, whose objective is to promote aviation biofuels in the European Union, reaching a use of 2% in 2025 , 5% in 2030 and 63% in 2050. Likewise, this alliance supports several of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda: SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (Responsible production and consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate action).
This new alliance consolidates the purpose of Cepsa, one of the main producers and suppliers of fuel for aviation in the Spanish market, to become a benchmark in the clean energy sector and lead the decarbonisation of air transport. Within the framework of its strategic plan, Positive Motion, the company is developing an ecosystem focused on accelerating the decarbonization of industrial clients, air and maritime transport, as well as the company itself, through the production of green molecules, mainly renewable hydrogen. and biofuels. Cepsa aspires to lead the manufacture of biofuels in Spain and Portugal by 2030, with an annual production capacity of 2.5 million tons, focusing especially on promoting the sustainability of air traffic, reaching an annual production capacity of 800,000 tons of SAF .
Cepsa has established an ambitious roadmap to cut its emissions, placing itself among the leading companies in its sector. Specifically, in 2030, it will reduce its CO2 emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 55% compared to 2019 and aspires to be carbon neutral before 2050.
Wizz Air has set out its SAF strategy, which includes signing supply agreements with suppliers to further reduce carbon emissions per passenger/km by 25% by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050. By 2022 , the airline achieved the lowest annual carbon intensity in its history, 55.2 grams, 15% less than in 2021. Wizz Air has continuously added new Airbus A321neo aircraft to its fleet and replaced older ones, with what its share of new technology “neo” aircraft already exceeds 50%. The new Airbus A321neo aircraft incorporate the latest technology, offer significant environmental benefits and can currently fly with up to 50% SAF. In addition to the ambitious fleet renewal program, Wizz Air is constantly working on fuel saving initiatives and improving data analytics.
Wizz Air currently operates flights in 14 Spanish cities: Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Castellón, Fuerteventura, Ibiza, Madrid, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santander, Seville, Tenerife, Valencia and Zaragoza.