Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, and energy group Repsol have joined forces to advance the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across Spain and Portugal. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on May 4 to further Ryanair's Pathway to Net Zero strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
SAF is a critical component of aviation decarbonization, but it currently only accounts for a small fraction of global jet fuel usage. Ryanair's agreement with Repsol will provide the airline with access to up to 155,000 metric tons (52 million gallons) of SAF between 2025 and 2030, which is equivalent to more than 28,000 flights from Dublin to Madrid. This move is expected to save approximately 490,000 metric tons in CO2 emissions.
Ryanair has set itself an ambitious target of using 12.5% SAF by 2030, and this agreement with Repsol is a significant step towards achieving that goal. Speaking at Repsol's headquarters in Madrid, Ryanair DAC's CEO Eddie Wilson emphasized the importance of SAF in achieving the airline's sustainability objectives, saying, “SAF plays a key role in Ryanair's Pathway to Net Zero strategy and our goal of using 12.5% SAF by 2030. Achieving this requires multiple different feedstocks and production methods, and we're encouraged that Repsol is looking at multiple solutions. This agreement helps Ryanair secure access to approximately 15% of this ambitious goal.”
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The agreement with Repsol demonstrates both Ryanair and Repsol's commitment to working together and investing in SAF supply fuels. Repsol's Executive Managing Director of Client, Valero Marin, emphasized the importance of the collaboration, saying, “This collaboration agreement with Ryanair, Europe's leading passenger airline, reinforces our commitment to the aviation sector and is another step in Repsol's commitment to renewable fuels. The aviation sector needs solutions such as SAF fuels to support the decarbonization process it is currently undergoing. This also consolidates our position as a multi-energy company with the objective of achieving zero net emissions by 2050.”
As Ryanair continues to grow, with plans to carry 225 million passengers annually by 2026, collaborations like this will play a crucial role in achieving the airline's ambitious sustainability targets.
