The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ramping up its sustainability efforts. In a recent announcement, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) said that they are teaming up with aerospace leader Boeing to advance the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) sector. The partnership will not only drive the sector forward domestically but also worldwide.
Mohammad Abdelqader El Ramahi, chief green hydrogen officer at Masdar, and Kuljit Ghata-Aura, president of Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Boeing, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) 2023.
Net zero by 2050
Masdar and Boeing’s sustainable aviation fuel deal primarily aims to support the aviation industry’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. This is part of the UAE’s broader “Net Zero by 2050” program, which, when achieved, will make the country the first Middle East and North Africa (MENA) nation to attain such a goal.
For the aviation frontier, the two companies will collaborate to advance and facilitate the development and implementation of SAF-related policies. Additionally, they will explore new approaches to enhance SAF accounting principles. The goal is to help the industry scale and overcome geographical barriers.
SAF comes from sustainable sources such as green hydrogen. Experts estimate that it can reduce carbon emissions throughout its lifecycle by as much as 85 percent when compared to traditional petroleum jet fuel. Currently, it can substitute for up to 50 percent of jet fuel for a modern aircraft.
Read: UAE eyes 19.8 GW clean energy by 2030: ADIPEC 2023 highlights
“Global net-zero goals can only be achieved through international collaboration and innovation. As the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, Masdar is proud to be partnering with Boeing, a leading global aerospace company, to promote the development of sustainable aviation fuel projects,” expressed El Ramahi.
“Together, we will advocate enabling policies to nurture this key market. Ahead of the UAE hosting COP28, we will continue to leverage our combined knowledge, expertise, and passion to support industry and create a more sustainable future for all,” he further stated.
Speaking on the project, Ghata-Aura noted, “Adopting SAF is going to be aviation’s most powerful decarbonization lever. Over a decade of collaboration between Boeing and the UAE in sustainable aviation is a testament to our shared goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
More sustainability efforts
As part of Masdar’s intensified efforts in sustainability, the company also completed the development of the groundbreaking UAE Wind Program. It was recently inaugurated by Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi. He also serves as the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
The project comprises wind farms in four locations. It has a combined capacity of 103.5 megawatts, which can power over 23,000 homes in the UAE annually. It can also potentially displace 120,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Masdar, in collaboration with its partners, also developed a floating solar power facility in Indonesia’s Cirata reservoir. The largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, it is poised to supply green energy to 50,000 households.
For more sustainability news, click here.
