Thursday 1 July 2021
Rolls-Royce and Shell in sustainable aviation fuel push towards net zero
Rolls-Royce and Shell have teamed up to accelerate the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in aircraft engines and support progress towards net zero emissions.
They have signed a long term memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the decarbonisation of the aviation industry as well as help shape policies that support a net zero pathway for the sector.
The MoU will expand and accelerate several existing areas of co-operation between the two companies, including Rolls-Royce's new SAFinity service - for which Shell is the exclusive SAF supplier – and demonstrating the use of 100% SAF as a full “drop-in” solution.
Paul Stein, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls-Royce said: “Supporting the decarbonisation of aviation while continuing to enable progress in flight are goals that Rolls-Royce and Shell both share.
“We believe that working together on these aims can deliver benefits for both the development of new innovations as well as collaborating to find ways to unlock the net carbon emissions reduction potential of technology that is already in use today. SAFs will not only power large aircraft and business aviation but also hybrid electric Urban Air Mobility (‘flying taxis’) and the forthcoming generation of hybrid fixed wing city hoppers, which is why we place such importance on the ramp up of SAF adoption across the industry.”
Rolls-Royce and Shell will also explore opportunities for the companies to provide decarbonisation solutions to meet their targets to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, which will include them contributing technologies and expertise to help reduce operational emissions.
Shell will support Rolls-Royce in reducing travel emissions through the supply of SAF while Rolls-Royce will provide technical expertise to advise Shell in its new fuels development as well as innovative low carbon energy alternatives for new aircraft and power systems.
Anna Mascolo, President, Shell Aviation added: “The heritage of collaboration between Rolls-Royce and Shell is a strong foundation for the future, particularly when it comes to our shared ambitions for achieving net zero emissions.
“Being from different parts of the aviation value chain means Rolls-Royce and Shell bring complementary expertise, experiences and ideas to the table. Wide-ranging cooperation can drive new solutions that will help the aviation industry and our customers navigate a pathway to net zero.”
