DHL will supply sustainable aviation fuel to Brussels Airport
DHL Express plans to deliver 25,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Brussels Airport over the next year. This initiative will enable the company to replace approximately one-third of the conventional kerosene used in its flights from Brussels with a greener alternative derived from sources like frying oil and animal fat waste.
“The sustainable version of kerosene ensures a reduction of up to 80 per cent of CO2 emissions over its entire life cycle,” DHL said. While both traditional kerosene and SAF emit the same amount of CO2 during flight, SAF's production methods significantly lower its overall carbon footprint.
Higher costs
One significant challenge for SAF adoption is cost. It is approximately three times more expensive than standard kerosene. However, DHL believes this is less of an obstacle in freight aviation than in the aviation sector. “There is a greater willingness among business customers to pay for more sustainable solutions,” the company said.
With this contract for nearly 200,000 barrels of SAF, DHL is "by far the largest purchaser of sustainable aviation fuels at Brussels Airport". The company operates around 50 flights daily to and from the airport, primarily during nighttime hours.
DHL Express aims to replace 30 per cent of its global kerosene consumption with SAF by 2030. The switch to SAF does not require modifications to existing aircraft engines, making it a practical step toward reducing aviation’s carbon footprint.
Brussels Airport is also advancing its sustainability efforts, aiming for SAF to constitute 5 per cent of the total kerosene used by airlines by 2026. To support this goal, the airport operator introduced an SAF premium for airlines this year, with participation from DHL and Brussels Airlines.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT
Related news
