The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is one of the most impactful measures for reducing the Air France-KLM Group’s CO2 emissions.
There are two types of these new fuels:
Second-generation biofuels manufactured from biomass – notably used oil and agricultural waste – which are available as of now.
Synthetic fuels – or Power-to-Liquid, products manufactured from CO2 captured in the atmosphere and hydrogen which is present in water – also available as of now.
In 2021, RefuelEU has been proposed and is currently under negotiation. If the European commission approved the legislation, it would become mandatory for fuel suppliers to include sustainable aviation fuel in the aviation fuel supplied to airlines. Thus, as of 2025, the fuel available in Europe must include a minimum 2% average volume of SAF, rising to 10% in 2030, 32% in 2040 and, ultimately, 63% in 2050.
in 2022
in 2025
in 2030
As a leader in the use of SAF and as a signatory of Clean Skies for Tomorrow, the Air France-KLM Group has reaffirmed its commitment to making the aviation sector more sustainable and has committed to incorporating a minimum of 10% SAF by 2030.
Air France-KLM selects only fuels whose sustainability is proven and certified by independent, reliable bodies like the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB, https://rsb.org/) or the ISCC+. It requires a more than 75% reduction in CO2 emissions, a minimal impact on biodiversity, no competition with food production or access to food resources, no use of palm oil which is a major factor in deforestation and a positive impact on local development.
Air France and KLM have also been members of the RSB since 2008. This body takes into account 12 criteria for SAF, ranging from food security to rural development, the quality of air, soil and water resources, and waste management.
As of January 2022, the Group’s airlines began incorporating up to 1% of SAF over one year in total for their flights departing from France (in accordance with French legislation) and 0.5% of SAF for flights departing from the Netherlands
On October 25, 2022, signed a new series of long-term supply agreements and MoU’s (Memorandum of Understanding) to cover the SAF (or Bio fuels) requirements for its airlines over the coming years.
On December 5, 2022 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Total Energies for the supply of more than one million cubic meters (800,000 metric tons) of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to Air France-KLM companies over a 10-year period, starting in 2023
