British Airways Owner IAG Ups Sustainable Fuel Intake With Infinium

Core Viewpoint - International Airlines Group (IAG), the owner of British Airways, has signed a ten-year agreement with Infinium to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF), starting in late 2026, to enhance its sustainability efforts [1][2]. Group 1: Agreement Details - The agreement allows Infinium to supply e-SAF to IAG's five airlines: Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Vueling [2]. - e-SAF is produced from water, waste CO2, and renewable energy, and is expected to reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 90% compared to conventional jet fuel [2][3]. - Infinium's Project Roadrunner facility in West Texas will produce the e-SAF, which is designed to be a "drop-in" replacement for conventional aviation fuel without requiring changes to existing aircraft engines [3][5]. Group 2: IAG's Sustainability Goals - In 2023, IAG utilized approximately 12% of the world's supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and aims for 10% of its flights to use SAF by 2030 [6][8]. - The recent agreement secures more than one-third of the SAF needed for IAG to meet its 2030 target [8]. - IAG previously signed a 14-year agreement with Twelve to supply 260 million gallons (nearly 1 billion liters or 785,000 tons) of e-SAF, marking it as the first European airline group to confirm such a deal [7]. Group 3: Industry Context and Challenges - The limited number of e-SAF projects in Europe has prompted IAG and its competitors to seek partnerships beyond the continent to achieve low carbon emissions targets [8]. - IAG's Group Sustainability Officer emphasized the need for policy support to attract funding for SAF plant construction and reduce reliance on fossil fuels [9]. - IAG has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, acknowledging the significant challenges in decarbonization [10].