Air Greenland signs deal with DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark for 5% SAF

Air Greenland has signed a deal with DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark that will see Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) used on flights between Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Copenhagen, Denmark. The biomass feedstock SAF will account for around 5% of its annual fuel consumption. 

Ulrik Brendstrup, MD, DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark said it is the largest SAF supply deal the firm has ever signed.

“In light of the fact that the EU has a 2025 ambition that airlines in Europe must fly on at least 2% SAF, it is a really big step we are now taking together with Air Greenland,” said Brendstrup.

According to Air Greenland chairwoman, Bodil Marie Damgaard, the airline’s board of directors has been working to modernise the fleet with more sustainable aircraft and helicopters since 2019.

“We want to support the goal of Greenland becoming a sustainable destination by reducing fuel consumption and thus our CO2 emissions,” said Damgaard.

The SAF for the route will be supplied to Copenhagen Airport. “There is no doubt that the use of more sustainable aviation fuels is crucial to accelerate the green transition in aviation,” said Thomas Woldbye, CEO, Copenhagen Airport. He added that while the aviation industry is waiting for the right framework for the development and scaling of power-to-anything (PtX) fuels to take off, bio-based fuels are a good place to start.

Sune Petersen, head of Sustainability & Strategy, DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark agreed. “Like other aviation stakeholders, we see SAF made from bio-waste as a good transition fuel on the road to a future where we fly on PtX-produced SAF,” he said.