Development of Europe's first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant, DSL-01, is under way in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. Supported by Shell Aviation, the project is being led by SkyNRG, a company founded by KLM, strategy advisory company Spring Associates and investment company EME to source, blend and distribute SAF. SkyNRG guarantees sustainability throughout the supply chain and helps to co-fund any price gap over conventional jet fuel, and focuses on developing regional SAF supply chains such as DSL-01. Long-term strategic partner Shell will bring its technical and commercial expertise to the development of the plant, and through participation in the project will secure the option to purchase sustainable aviation fuel produced at the facility.

“Shell Aviation is proud to be part of the DSL-01 project: this first dedicated plant is a crucial milestone in accelerating the supply of sustainable aviation fuels in Europe and will contribute to a reduction in emissions in the aviation sector,” says vice president Anna Mascolo. “When it comes to carbon emissions, the aviation industry needs collaboration amongst industry players, it needs support to drive technical innovation and investments, and last but not least it needs a multiple set of solutions that help drive a faster transition to a net zero emissions world. At Shell we have started the journey, although we recognise there is a lot more to do to avoid, reduce and offset carbon emissions.”

The DSL-01 production facility is on schedule for commissioning in 2022, representing the earliest dedicated commercial supply of SAF to the aviation market in Europe. The plant will annually produce 100,000 tonnes of SAF, corresponding to a reduction in lifecycle CO2 equivalent emissions of approximately 270,000 tonnes. The plant will also produce naphtha and 15,000 tonnes of bioLPG annually as a by-product. In May this year, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines committed itself for a 10-year period to the development and purchase of 75,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel a year.

The feedstocks used for production will be waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil, sourced predominantly from regional industries, and the facility will run on sustainable hydrogen, produced local to the site in the Groningen Seaport. This, along with the use of low carbon energy to power production, will contribute to the production of sustainable aviation fuel with lifecycle carbon emissions approximately 85 per cent lower than conventional jet fuels. SkyNRG managing director Maarten van Dijk adds: “This is an important project for the development of the sustainable aviation fuel market, and with its global operational experience and technical expertise, Shell is a natural partner to help accelerate its progress. The shared ambitions and collaborative approach of the companies involved sends a strong signal to the rest of our industry of the actions required to deliver a sustainable future for aviation.”