Emirates Airlines has announced the test flight of one of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft powered by two GE90 engines, one of which uses 100% sustainable SAF aviation fuel.
The plane took off from Dubai International Airport on Monday and flew along the coast of Dubai for more than an hour.
Emirates Airlines said in a statement that the 100% sustainable jet fuel test flight is of particular importance as 2023 is declared the “Year of Sustainability” as the UAE is committed throughout the year to finding innovative solutions to various challenges, such as as energy will be highlighted, change climate and other issues related to sustainability.
The Emirates test flight is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa to run on 100% sustainable fuel.
The flight supports efforts to reduce carbon emissions as the industry seeks to expand fuel use. It also helps improve the operating platform for future sustainable fuel offerings, as well as supporting future certifications to agree to use 100% sustainable fuel to operate aircraft. Green fuels are currently allowed in all aircraft, but only with a blend of up to 50% conventional jet fuel.
Emirates has worked with its partners GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell, ENOC Group, Nest and Varinet to develop a sustainable fuel blend that has the same properties as conventional jet fuel. A set of measurements of the chemical and physical properties of the fuel in each proportion of the mixture was also carried out. After several rigorous laboratory trials and trials, the partners developed a mixture in a ratio that reflects the properties of jet fuel.
Emirates said it blended four tons of sustainable aviation fuel, consisting of 75% HEFA-SPK (hydrolyzed esters, fatty acids and synthetic paraffinic kerosene) provided by Nest and 25% HDO-SAK from Nest. Virent” (Synthetic aromatic kerosene) from “Virnet”. One of the two GE90 engines ran on 100% sustainable fuel, while the other ran on conventional aviation fuel.
