International Airlines Group (IAG) and Repsol have announced a significant partnership to accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Spain. The agreement marks the largest voluntary purchase of SAF in the country to date, with IAG committing to purchase over 28,000 tonnes of SAF from Repsol over the next six months.
This collaboration is a crucial step towards IAG’s goal of using 2% SAF by 2025, as mandated by the ReFuel EU regulation. SAF reduces carbon emissions by over 80% compared to traditional jet fuel, making it a vital component in the aviation industry’s decarbonization efforts.
Repsol’s recent investment of €250 million in a large-scale SAF production facility in Cartagena positions Spain as a leader in renewable fuels. The plant has an annual production capacity of 250,000 tons and can produce both renewable diesel and SAF from waste materials.
IAG and Repsol have a history of collaboration in the field of sustainable aviation. Iberia, a member of the IAG group, conducted Spain’s first biofuel flight in 2021, using SAF produced at the Petronor refinery. Vueling, another IAG airline, followed suit with its first SAF-powered flight in 2021.
Both companies are actively involved in the All4Zero initiative, focused on developing decarbonization technologies and promoting a circular economy.
Repsol’s ambitious plans to increase SAF production to 1.7 million tons by 2027 and 2.7 million tons by 2030 solidify its position as a leader in the renewable fuels market in the Iberian Peninsula.
This partnership between IAG and Repsol signifies a major milestone in Spain’s journey towards sustainable aviation and demonstrates the industry’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
