Amstelveen | 21 February 2012

The purpose of this series of flights is to demonstrate that it is possible to mix sustainable biofuel on a serie of scheduled flights. Herewith, KLM wants to stimulate the developments in the field of sustainable airtraffic. This is done in collaboration with the WWF. KLM believes that only a sustainable alternative to current fossil kerosene actually leads to reduction of CO2 emissions in the medium term.  For this purpose,  since late 2007 KLM is doing research for sustainably produced biofuels * and hopes that more parties will follow its example in order to decrease the price of biofuel.
The four daily flights are operated on fuel mixed with some biofuel. The biofuel is made from discarded frying oil and developed and delivered by SkyNRG, from which KLM is co-initiator. Already 7 years in a row AIR FRANCE KLM is sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

* A biofuel is considered durable when its cultivation is not at the expense of food production, biodiversity and does not lead to deforestation, overuse of water and pesticides. In addition, there are also various social criteria.

More information:
KLM Media Relations, tel. (+31)20 – 649 45 45 or mediarelations@klm.com

taken from: KLM

]]> http://skynrg.com/2012/02/new-biofuel-flights-for-klm/feed/ 0 http://skynrg.com/2012/01/skynrg-serves-first-middle-eastern-airline-etihad-airways-via-boeing-%e2%80%9cfuel-from-the-factory%e2%80%9d-option/ http://skynrg.com/2012/01/skynrg-serves-first-middle-eastern-airline-etihad-airways-via-boeing-%e2%80%9cfuel-from-the-factory%e2%80%9d-option/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:40:14 +0000 bram-author http://skynrg.com/2012/01/skynrg-serves-first-middle-eastern-airline-etihad-airways-via-boeing-%e2%80%9cfuel-from-the-factory%e2%80%9d-option/ SkyNRG, the Amsterdam-based global market maker in sustainable jet fuel has supplied its first customer via a “fuel-from the factory ” option made possible with U.S. partners EPIC Aviation and Boeing.
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates becomes the first airline to fly directly from an airplane manufacturer on biofuel and also the first Middle Eastern carrier to fly on sustainable bio-derived jet fuel.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer commented: “Today’s flight marks a significant milestone in our efforts to support and drive the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel in Abu Dhabi, the region, and globally. However, the use of a presently available biofuel is just one part of a more comprehensive long-term biofuel strategy to ensure that we are able to use biofuels to decarbonise substantially an entire industry sector in the long term.”

“We think the Middle East has great potential to give a critical boost towards making a market for sustainable jet fuel that is affordable. With this flight Etihad Airways has taken a fantastic step, particularly in increasing awareness within the region. There is a lot more to come in this continent and we are determined to be there when that happens.” Says Dirk Kronemeijer, Managing Director SkyNRG.

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SkyNRG has already contracted more than 10 airline customers covering all continents in the world. THAI is SkyNRG’s first Asia Pacific customer and sixth publicly announced airline customer after KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Finnair, Thomson Airways, Air-France and Alaska Airlines.

THAI and SkyNRG also signed a statement together indicating their long term commitment to actively participate in creating a market for sustainable jet fuel that is affordable.

Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, President of THAI states: “THAI believes sustainable jet fuel will play an important role in the transition to a sustainable future for aviation and is willing do its part. We intend to make sustainable jet fuel an integral part of our strategy. We support the SkyNRG “market making” business model of demand aggregation. Structural demand for sustainable jet fuel will translate into stakeholder engagement and lower prices in the (near) future”

“We think the Asia Pacific continent has great potential to give a critical boost towards making the market for sustainable jet fuel that is affordable. In this roadmap THAI has made a fantastic step today. But there is a lot more to come in this continent and we are determined to be there when that happens” says Dirk Kronemeijer, Managing Director SkyNRG.

About SkyNRG
SkyNRG’s mission is to help create a sustainable future for aviation through actively developing a sustainable production chain for alternative aviation fuels. Today the market for these fuels is just emerging; SkyNRG is taking the first steps to make it a reality.
After two years of research and development the company has created a one-stop shop for airlines integrating the complete supply chain for sustainable jet fuels. From feedstock-to-flight, the supply chain covers elements such as strict selection of sustainable feedstock, refining contracts, distribution to any airport in the world, quality assurance, in to plane fuel service, insurance, marketing and project (co) funding with airports and end customers.

SkyNRG does not commit to one single feedstock or technology. The sustainability of alternative aviation fuels depends on many factors and has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. To make the right decisions now and in the future, SkyNRG is advised by an independent Sustainability Board, consisting of the Dutch wing of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-NL), Solidaridad, and the Copernicus Institute of Utrecht University. Next to that, SkyNRG strives for harmonisation on certification of sustainable jet fuel and therefore actively supports the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels.

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Alaska will be the first U.S. airline to use sustainable jet fuel on regularly scheduled commercial flights. The airline is conducting this project to raise awareness of the need for an adequate, affordable and sustainable supply of alternative commercial aviation fuel. Sustainable Jet fuel will help the airline industry reach its goal of cutting carbon dioxide emissions in half by 2050 compared with 2005 levels.

“Partnering with SkyNRG and Epic on this project was a true demonstration of our collective will and commitment,” said Jay Long, Alaska Airlines’ director of fuel administration. “Despite numerous challenges along the way, we never lost sight of our overall goal of raising awareness of the need to support a sustainable and affordable aviation fuel alternative within the U.S. airline industry.”

“We have tried to make the entry barrier for airlines to embrace this new fuel era as low as possible“ says  SkyNRG’s Managing Director Dirk Kronemeijer. “Being selected as supplier for Alaska Airlines proves that we are on the right track to help create this industry in North America together with our great partner EPIC Aviation LLC. As from today we are open for any request on sustainable jet fuel out of more than 400 Airport locations in North America”

“We’re proud to have been a part of a new aspect of the aviation fuel market and look forward to work together with SkyNRG to serve US and Canadian customers seeking to use sustainable jet fuel now and in the future ” said David Zanussi, Vice President Commercial Sales at EPIC Aviation.

The biofuels used, were produced out of used cooking oil in a Louisiana plant by Dynamic Fuels LLC, a joint venture of Tyson Foods and Syntroleum Corporation.

About EPIC Aviation

EPIC Aviation, LLC is an aviation fuel supplier with primary operations throughout the US and Canada. EPIC’s supply network of nearly 400 locations utilizes major refineries, pipelines, railcars and terminals to serve over 4,000 diverse customers including Airlines, Cargo Operators, Business Aviation Flight Departments, Fixed Base Operators and Resellers. EPIC specializes in innovative customer solutions and industry leading fuel quality assurance programs.

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Sustainable biofuels
Using biokerosene is a necessity if aviation is to become more sustainable. Industry-wide fuel efficiency will also contribute enormously. KLM has been working towards developing biofuel since 2007. To this end, KLM joined forces with the North Sea Group and Spring Associates to establish SkyNRG in 2009. These parties cooperate actively in the drive to develop a sustainable production chain for biofuels for aviation. They are open to using different raw materials to create the end product, providing they satisfy various sustainability criteria including a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions and minimising the negative impact on biodiversity and food supplies. In order to make the right choices in the future, SkyNRG is advised by an independent sustainability board, comprising representatives from WWF Netherlands, Solidaridad and the Copernicus Institute of the University of Utrecht.

Cooperation between KLM and WWF Netherlands
The renewed cooperation with WWF Netherlands should lead to an international breakthrough for sustainable biofuels for aviation. KLM and WWF Netherlands hope to unify international parties in a drive to get this market off the ground. What’s more, KLM will provide substantial financial support for a number of nature conservation projects initiated by WWF Netherlands. These projects will be specified further in the forthcoming period.

CO2 approach
The renewed contract between KLM and WWF Netherlands includes concrete, measurable agreements about the CO2 approach in the short term. Over a four-year period, KLM will be investing in measures to reinforce its position as an international leader in CO2 efficiency and fuel savings. By 2020, KLM hopes to have achieved a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions for every tonne kilometre flown in comparison with the figures for 2009.
“For seven consecutive years, KLM has been the sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index,” says Camiel Eurlings, Managing Director KLM. “Everyone at KLM has worked hard to achieve this. KLM has itself developed numerous initiatives in diverse areas: from special resistance-reducing paint to lightweight trolleys and tableware, and from a fuel efficiency programme to new engine washing technology. Despite economic uncertainties, KLM continues to invest in making the airline industry more sustainable. KLM has taken the lead for many years in reducing CO2 emissions in aviation and stimulating innovations in the field of biofuels. We attach a great deal of importance to cooperating with WWF Netherlands in this area.”
“We cannot afford to continue burning fossil fuels if we want future generations to be able to inherit the earth,” says Johan van de Gronden. “Greenhouse gases from coal, oil and gas are amongst the most important causes of climate change and therefore pose a significant threat to nature and mankind. The only way to prevent the planet from overheating is to generate all energy from renewable sources. It should be possible to supply fully sustainable power by 2050. KLM shares this vision and assumes responsibility for its actions.”

While both companies acknowledged that a cost-competitive, large-scale supply of aviation fuel derived from algae is not yet a reality, they cited significant progress and a marketplace eager for an alternative supply of renewable fuel.

“We fully understand that algae-based jet fuel is in its infancy,” said SkyNRG Managing Director Dirk Kronemeijer. “But we firmly believe in algae’s promise as a source of truly renewable aviation fuel, and our aviation customers are, of course, very keen to see sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel that, in time, can be cost competitive. We see it as our mission to partner with firms like Heliae that are helping to make these alternatives a reality. We’re truly impressed with the long term vision and commitment of Heliae’s shareholders and Heliae’s technical progress to date.”

“Heliae’s team is developing the necessary technology to drive down the production costs of algae-based fuels to a level that legitimately competes with fossil fuels,” said Heliae CEO Dan Simon. “We are thrilled to be working with SkyNRG, the global market leader in educating, cultivating and supplying the rapidly growing market for renewable aviation fuels.”

About Heliae
Heliae develops, designs, and delivers cost-effective technology solutions that enable sustainable, industrial-scale production of food, fuel, and bio-chemicals from algae. As innovators and integrators of technology, our processes help companies worldwide convert free sunlight and industrial waste-streams into the affordable, renewable food and drop-in transportation fuels that our growing world requires. Learn more at: www.Heliae.com

Link to official press release pdf

‘By using 100% BioDiesel in our vehicles we are injecting a powerful impetus in the advancement of sustainable enterprise at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. We have formulated the ambition of running a CO₂-neutral operation by 2012, and investment in sustainable mobility is one way in which we will achieve this’, explains Ad Rutten, Executive Vice President & COO of Schiphol Group.

Over the next four months, some 40 airport vehicles will be running on 100% BioDiesel. These include tractors and catering, bird control, lease and delivery vans. If the pilot proves a success within those four months, additional vehicles will be switched over to BioDiesel.

On Monday, September 5th, during the official launch, Mr. Ad Rutten (Executive Vice President / COO Schiphol Group; right on the picture) and Adriaan den Heijer (Vice President, Hub Operations KLM; left on the picture) provided the first cars of the new BioDiesel.
For a film about this, see www.schipholtv.com

Link to the official Schiphol press release

“We want to be a pioneer in sustainable development in air transport.  SkyNRG’s leading approach in setting up innovative supply chains for truly sustainable jet fuel that is long term also affordable made them a logical partner for us”  says Kati Ihamäki, Vice President, Sustainable Development at Finnair.

At this stage, it is anticipated that the weekly sustainable jet fuel flights will operate for one year from Birmingham to Palma in the summer and from Birmingham to Alicante in the winter. As sustainable jet fuels become more commercially viable, Thomson Airways plans to expand its use of sustainable jet fuels across its fleet over the next three years.

Both SkyNRG and Thomson Airways firmly believe that the adoption of “green routes” by airlines will help accelerate the development of sustainable and affordable jet fuels, which have the potential to reduce aviation emissions by up to 80% in the long-term.

Deidre Kotze, Airline Environmental Manager at Thomson Airways states: “Sustainability is key to this investment.  SkyNRG’s robust approach on this matter, played a big role in giving  them our confidence”.

“We have tried to make the entry barrier for airlines to embrace this new fuel era as low as possible“ says SkyNRG’s Managing Director Dirk Kronemeijer. “Being selected as supplier for Thomson Airways is therefore a big deal for us as it proves that we are on the right track to help create this industry”.

After two years of research and development the company has created a unique one-stop shop for airlines integrating the complete supply chain for sustainable jet fuels. 

From feedstock-to-flight, the supply chain covers elements such as rigid selection of sustainable feedstock, refining contracts, logistics to any airport on the planet, quality assurance, into plane fuel service, insurance, marketing and project (co) funding with airports and end customers. “In this way we have tried to make the entry barrier for airlines, to embrace this new fuel era, as low as possible“ says Managing Director Dirk Kronemeijer. “Ideally we want to see as many airlines as possible starting a green route in 2011 to maximize engagement with public, investors, government and other stakeholders. This will help to focus R&D efforts, accelerate industry scale up and enable (favorable) changes in legislation further driving this industry towards a real tipping point.”

SkyNRG does not commit to one single feedstock or technology. The sustainability of alternative jet fuel depends on many factors, which are specific for each single case. To make the right decisions now and in the future, SkyNRG is advised by an independent Sustainability Board (in which 2 renowned NGOs and an academic institute hold a seat).

With refining relationships and quality insurance in place, and with solid distribution partners both in the EU and US on board, SkyNRG is ready for full into plane delivery of sustainable jet fuel.

For more Information:

SkyNRG Media Relations, tel. +31 623977122, mediarelations@skynrg.com