aviation fuel

KLM joins forces with AeroDelft student team for hydrogen aircraft

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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has joined forces with the AeroDelft student team to work on Project Phoenix, an initiative involving the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft, KLF has announced in a statement.

The development and testing of such an aircraft will present important findings on how this fuel may be applied in aviation, including the design of liquid hydrogen tanks and critical safety features.

The Project Phoenix initiative includes the creation of a drone, the Phoenix-Prototype, which will serve as a precursor to the development of the first manned liquid hydrogen-electric aircraft, the Phoenix Full-Scale, KLF noted in the statement.

The AeroDelft team has built the chassis for the Phoenix Full-Scale aircraft and is testing the hydrogen systems inside it, KLF informed, adding it aims to fly its manned aircraft in 2024, using hydrogen gas, followed by liquid hydrogen in 2025.

Mr. Barry ter Voert, CXO & EVP of Business Development at KLM, noted:

“KLM wants to play a leading role in aviation innovation and is looking for opportunities to accelerate developments. The minds and solutions of the younger generation are essential to enable us to think outside the box. AeroDelft’s enthusiasm and hard work are particularly helpful in this regard.”

Mr Wouter van der Linden, Team Leader of AeroDelft, noted:

“We are so pleased to be working with KLM on the future of aviation. It is very rewarding for us to have the support of such a major industry player. Together we will work hard to implement new, innovative technologies and train the engineers of the future.”

Fuel sales up 6% in ’22, heating fuel sales rise sharply by 13%

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Despite the energy crisis, domestic fuel sales in 2022 regained all ground lost during the lockdown period, registering sales just one percent below those recorded in pre-pandemic 2019.

Following two years of decline, fuel sales ended 2022 at 6.805 million metric tons, up 6 percent compared to 2021, when they had reached 6.402 million metric tons.

Last year’s rise in fuel sales was driven by increased tourism and economic activity. All fuel sub-categories ended 2022 with escalated figures, even gasoline, up by a modest 2 percent compared to 2021, despite increased prices at the pump and a further shrinkage of disposable incomes in Greece last year.

Heating fuel sales registered a 13 percent increase on the previous year, to 1.17 million metric tons, primarily as a result of subsidy support offered to consumers. Also, households equipped with natural gas heating systems were offered incentives to prefer fuel heaters.

Diesel sales rose 6 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, reaching 2.697 million metric tons. Besides the year’s greater tourism and business activity, a temporary discount of 15 cents per liter on diesel, offered until the end of September, also helped push up sales in this fuel category.

LPG sales also rose sharply in 2022, by 11 percent compared to the previous year, to 0.875 million metric tons.

Aviation fuel soared by 68 percent in 2022, compared to 2021. Maritime fuel sales rose by 6 percent but were still 21 percent below levels reached in 2019.

HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group, Neste to Supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel in Greece and to AEGEAN

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In a move of great significance, which is tightly connected to its strategy to reduce emissions, HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group has entered an agreement with Neste for the commercial distribution of Neste Sustainable Aviation Fuel TM (SAF) on flights by AEGEAN, the leading air carrier in Greece.

HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group, through its subsidiary EKO, will ensure the supply of SAF on AEGEAN flights departing from its Thessaloniki Airport “Makedonia” hub. Flights from Athens International Airport are expected to follow soon.

This important agreement brings together HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group’s expertise in the supply and distribution of jet fuel with Neste’s expertise in the production and supply of sustainable aviation fuel to provide safe and reliable SAF supply in Greece. SAF is recognized globally as the most feasible option to reduce aviation emissions in the near term.

The agreement is in line with HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group’s strategic goal to become a provider of low carbon energy solutions and to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% until 2030, while facilitating airlines and airports to align in a proactive manner with the upcoming European Union SAF targets by 2025.

Konstantinos Panas, Hellenic Petroleum RSSOPP Supply & Sales General Manager commented: “Our cooperation with Neste, a global leader in renewable and sustainable fuels, is a significant part in the implementation of our strategic plan ‘Vision 2025’ for the energy transformation of our Group. This initiative is one of others to follow for the gradual increased use of sustainable fuels and we are proud to partner with Neste to help AEGEAN and the Greek aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint.”

Jonathan Wood, Vice President Europe, Renewable Aviation at Neste commented: “We are delighted to be working together with HELLENIC PETROLEUM to make our Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel available in Greece and to AEGEAN. We share the ambition to contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of aviation and are committed to working together to achieve this. Neste is playing its part by increasing SAF production capacity to 1.5 million tons by the end of 2023 – more than the entire aviation pre-Covid fuel demand in Greece. We need to act now – SAF is a key and proven solution with clear climate benefits, and is already available today.”

Neste MY Sustainable Aviation FuelTM is produced from sustainably-sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. In its neat form, and over the life cycle, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%* compared to fossil jet fuel use.

* Calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as CORSIA methodology

 

Schools, airlines, heating fuel to contain lockdown effects on fuel

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Fuel market officials are hoping certain lockdown exemptions, such as the non-closure of primary schools, plus airline traffic and heating fuel demand, will result in smaller losses for the sector compared to the country’s first lockdown earlier this year.

If the latest measures remain as they stand for the lockdown’s duration of at least three weeks, beginning last Saturday, then the decline in fuel sales is expected to be far milder than the 45 percent reduction experienced during the country’s first lockdown, implemented last March, fuel market officials have projected.

Seasoned authorities estimate the fuel market’s reduction in sales could reach 20 percent.

The ongoing transportation by parents and guardians of primary school students to school, continuation of flights, as well as greater heating fuel needs of household members kept in by the lockdown, are all expected to help contain the drop in fuel sales.

Though these factors may offer fuel professionals some consolation, the fuel market is entering uncharted territory as the eventual duration of the lockdown remains unknown.

Also, a large number of households have yet to recover from the financial consequences of the first lockdown. Their budgets will have tightened.