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With the intention of accelerating efforts that generate the necessary conditions for a more sustainable commercial aviation, the CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, Roberto Alvo, announced the group’s hopes to incorporate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its operation. This effort is part of the group’s sustainability strategy, which aims to be zero-waste-to-landfill by 2027, offset 50% of domestic emissions by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2050.
“South America has the potential to be a world leader in the production of sustainable fuels and thereby make a very significant contribution to climate action. For this to happen, public and private actors, including LATAM, need to collaborate, play their role and lead the energy transition that we need to make the world a better place. With this announcement, the group is giving a clear call to action to the market and highlighting our interest in buying SAF fuels in the region”, said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group at the “Wings of Change” event, organised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on 6 and 7 April in Santiago, Chile.
The executive highlighted the potential for the development of SAF in South America due to the region’s natural resources and wealth of renewable energy. However, Alvo noted it is currently an undeveloped market with limited supply. It still requires regulatory schemes, advancement of technology and innovation, and support for production and logistics, among other factors.
Currently, the high production costs and the immaturity of the market pose great challenges for the use of this type of fuel. LATAM’s CEO made a call to government authorities, private companies, academia and the other players in the airline industry to collaborate and generate incentives to expand the production, use and growth of SAF in South America, thus finding solutions to the climate emergency.
What is SAF?
SAF is a non-conventional type of fuel, produced from renewable raw materials or derived from waste. The variety of raw materials can range from cooking oils and fats to municipal and agricultural waste, among others. There are other alternatives such as green hydrogen, which is the most abundant substance in the universe and is highly efficient in generating energy and reducing emissions. This can also be used to produce PBS, although – for the moment – it is not ideal for this purpose due to its high cost and low production volume.
According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), PBS offers a reduction in emissions of up to 80% compared to traditional fuels and is the most immediate tool to contribute to sustainable mass transportation.
South America has unsurpassed conditions to develop this type of sustainable fuel in terms of the availability of resources and sustainable raw materials. For example, according to WWF data, Brazil has the potential to produce up to 9 billion litres of FFS, from different sources such as waste from agriculture and the timber industry. Additionally, by 2030 the world supply will be 6.5 billion gallons, 2.3 billion gallons (35%) of which will come from the South American country.
In the long term, it is expected to be able to propel aircraft using green hydrogen as a direct energy source; however, this technology is still under development and will require modifications to existing aircraft.
LATAM and its sustainability strategy
In May 2021, LATAM group presented its sustainability strategy based on three fronts: Climate Change, Circular Economy and Shared Value. The group highlighted its commitment to the protection of South America’s strategic ecosystems by becoming a zero waste to landfill group by 2027, in addition to offsetting 50% of domestic emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The strategy’s lines of action were designed collaboratively with environmental experts and organisations throughout the region.
For more information, please visit https://www.latamairlines.com/us/en/sustainability.