Emirates has become the inaugural global airline to join The Solent Cluster, an initiative in the UK that focuses on low-carbon investments aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from industry, transportation, and households in the South Coast of England. According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the Solent Cluster is a collaborative effort that brings together various international organizations, including manufacturers, engineering companies, regional businesses, logistics and infrastructure operators, and academic institutions.
Read more: Emirates pioneers sustainable aviation with world’s first A380 fueled by SAF
Job preservation and low-carbon fuels
Emirates joins more than 100 members as part of the Cluster, alongside founding members such as the Solent Partners (previously the Solent LEP), global energy provider ExxonMobil, and the University of Southampton. Each founding member has shared their vision for the Solent, outlining how it can preserve existing jobs and generate low-carbon fuels for various sectors, including aviation.
CO2 emission reduction
One of the key potential developments within the Solent Cluster is a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant, which is projected to have a fuel production capacity of 200,000 tons (200 kt) per year. If approved, the plant could commence operations by 2032. The jet fuel produced by the SAF plant has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 563 kilotons per year, as it emits 70 percent less CO2 than fossil kerosene. The existing pipeline infrastructure can transport the SAF from the plant to major airports served by Emirates, such as Heathrow and Gatwick.
Previous SAF initiatives by Emirates
Emirates’ long-term goal of securing UK-produced SAF through its association with the Solent Cluster complements the numerous SAF initiatives the airline has announced in the past year. These include conducting A380 and Boeing 777 demonstration flights using 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2023, expanding its partnership with Neste to supply SAF for its operations in Amsterdam and Singapore in 2024 and 2025, and introducing SAF for commercial flights at its hub in Dubai in October 2023.
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