TotalEnergies, Daher and Groupe ADP have inaugurated a permanent offer of sustainable aviation fuel at Paris-Saclay-Versailles airport. Available since the beginning of June, SAF produced and distributed by TotalEnergies comes from waste and residues from the circular economy. It is incorporated up to 35 per cent with conventional kerosene, and requires no modification to the aircraft or to the logistical infrastructures or refuelling operations. It allows a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 30 per cent, over the entire life cycle, compared to its fossil equivalent.

Decarbonisation issues are at the heart of Paris airport operator Groupe ADP's commitments through its 2025 Pioneers strategic plan. As such, the Paris-Saclay-Versailles airport, which was previously known as Toussus-le-Noble, constitutes an innovation and training laboratory that brings together associative and private entities, as well as aircraft manufacturers and maintainers in the heart of the Saclay plateau. The launch of this unique offer on an airport confirms its positioning at the forefront of decarbonisation for more sustainable general aviation.

TotalEnergies has been distributing fuel on the Paris-Saclay-Versailles site for more than 50 years and provides its customers with multi-energy solutions that can contribute to the decarbonisation of operations:

- Two electric charging stations intended for light aircraft;

- An offer of SP 98-type fuel adapted for aviation use;

- SAF; and

- Four electric refuelling vehicles to reduce emissions from ground operations.

“We are delighted to be able to complete our offer with SAF for users of the Paris-Saclay-Versailles platform and thus meet the strong demand from the aeronautics sector to reduce its carbon footprint,” says Louise Tricoire, director of aviation and marine fuels at TotalEnergies. “Sustainable aviation fuels are essential for reducing CO2 emissions from air transport, and their development is fully in line with the company's climate ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, together with society. We also aim to produce 1.5Mt of SAF by 2030.”

“This provision of sustainable aviation fuel at Paris-Saclay-Versailles airport, where we have one of our main maintenance bases in France, is an important step for the promotion of these fuels to our customers,” adds Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of the Daher Aircraft division. “Since 2022, we have been using the mixture of Jet A-1 and SAF on our TBM and Kodiak aircraft for flight operations at our French industrial site in Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées or at airports where it is available. Daher is strongly committed to the transition towards carbon neutrality by 2050.”

“The Paris-Saclay-Versailles aerodrome constitutes a real incubator for promoting sustainable and innovative aviation,” says Sebastien Couturier, director of Paris-Le Bourget airport and Groupe ADP's general aviation aerodromes. “After the installation of charging stations to support the growth of electric aviation in 2023, this new initiative in favour of decarbonisation of general aviation is aimed more particularly at travel aircraft and helicopters present on the platform. We are convinced that this sustainable aeronautical fuel offering will generate increasing demand that will gradually allow us to decarbonise all operations.”