the first SAF facility in the Netherlands
KLM co-founded SkyNRG in 2009 and has been intensively committed to the development of the SAF market from the outset. The facility is expected to produce the first quantities of SAF by 2028. KLM has committed to purchasing at least 75,000 tons annually, which corresponds to 75 percent of the facility's total production and represents a sustainability commitment of nearly 3 billion euros. Through this commitment, KLM plays a key role in the realization of the project.
For many years, KLM has been investing in cleaner, quieter, and more fuel-efficient aviation. In addition to renewing the fleet, SAF is one of the most effective methods to significantly reduce aviation CO2 emissions. Although SAF produces the same CO2 emissions during flight as fossil kerosene, its overall emissions over the entire lifecycle—from production to combustion—are significantly lower. Compared to traditional kerosene, CO2 emissions are reduced by at least 65 percent and up to over 90 percent.
Marjan Rintel, CEO of KLM, explains: “As the world's first airline, we are making a direct contribution to the financing and realization of this facility with our long-term purchase agreement. Today, we are celebrating a milestone together with SkyNRG and other invited guests: the groundbreaking of this project, which finally makes it tangible. I am proud that KLM, as a co-founder of SkyNRG and the largest customer of the fuel, is taking an important step towards increasing SAF production in the Netherlands and further advancing the sustainability of aviation.”
Maarten van Dijk, CEO of SkyNRG, emphasizes: “Today's milestone in Delfzijl shows that large-scale SAF production in the Netherlands is now becoming a reality. We are proud to take this step together with KLM and our partners, whose long-term commitment has helped make this project possible. The project is an important step towards expanding SAF production and accelerating the transition to a more sustainable aviation future.”
SAF is currently three to four times more expensive than fossil kerosene. While this facility represents an important milestone, further efforts are necessary to accelerate production and make SAF more widely available and affordable. It is therefore encouraging that the new coalition agreement includes plans to expand alternative aviation fuels and promote SAF production in the Netherlands. KLM calls on the government to work together to accelerate and expand the promotion of SAF, for example through a national SAF fund as recommended in the Wennink report “The Route to Future Prosperity.”
The DSL-01 project demonstrates what is possible while also stressing the need for further initiatives of this kind to reach the Dutch objective of a 14 percent SAF blend by 2030.
About KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
For 106 years, KLM has been connecting people with each other and the world. Every year, millions of customers choose KLM—whether for business travel, holidays, visiting friends or family, studying abroad, and much more. The over 160 destinations in KLM's network connect the Netherlands with all major economic regions of the world and serve as a strong economic engine. At the same time, KLM wants to fly cleaner, quieter, and more efficiently. Every day, the airline takes significant and minor steps to achieve this goal and to remain a great airline for its customers for centuries to come.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is part of the Air France-KLM Group and a member of the global SkyTeam alliance.
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