Boeing to invest in green hydrogen-based e-SAF projects in conjunction with Norsk e-Fuel
Boeing is investing an undisclosed amount in the development of green-hydrogen-based sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) production projects, in conjunction with Norwegian producer Norsk e-Fuel, the companies have announced.
“While we’re not sharing our specific investment figures, the investment is being directed towards the project development of projects in our pipeline,” a spokeswoman for Norsk e-Fuel tells Hydrogen Insight.
The deal will also see Boeing “supporting one of Europe’s first industrial scale power-to-liquids (PtL) facilities”.
The most advanced of Norsk e-Fuels three announced projects is Project Mosjøen in northern Norway, which would produce up to 40 million tonnes of e-SAF annually by combining green hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide from biogenic sources.
“This fuel can reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of air travel by over 90% compared to conventional jet fuel,” the two companies state in a press release.
“Boeing’s investment will contribute to achieving the SAF volumes needed by the EU commitments and strengthen national energy security across the Nordics.” This is a reference to the ReFuelEU Aviation directive, agreed by EU member states in 2023, which mandates that 1.2% of all fuel used by planes leaving EU airports in 2030-31 to be made from green hydrogen and captured CO2, rising gradually to 35% in 2050.
“The partnership will also inform policies that enable the economic viability of the global SAF industry, while supporting long-term competitiveness of the aviation industry in the region,” they added.
Norsk e-Fuel chief operating officer Lars Bjørn Larsen said: “Our goal is to make e-fuels competitive with and eventually replace fossil fuels in critical infrastructures as SAF needs to become readily accessible and affordable for advancing aviation’s decarbonization.
“Boeing’s investment will further accelerate our project pipeline and will facilitate the broader aviation industry’s transition to net-zero emissions.”
And Steve Gillard, Boeing’s regional sustainability director for Europe, Middle East, Türkiye, Africa and Central Asia, added: “Our support of and collaboration with Norsk e-Fuel underscores the importance of using fossil-free energy to accelerate SAF production, which is key to reducing aviation’s carbon emissions towards 2050.
“Our partnership to advance e-fuels will help mobilize the commercialization of SAF in the Nordics and across the world, increasing accessibility and availability for our customers as we help build a robust SAF ecosystem.”
Source: HydrogenInsight