The Netherlands’ Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) has signed a long-term agreement with fuel giant Shell to commence the blending of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at the airport, starting in 2024.
Surpassing the European blending mandate of 6%, the airport will set a minimum target of 8% to meet what it describes as ‘the more ambitious goal of the Dutch aviation sector of 14% by 2030’.
Elaborating on an ambition he describes as playing “an important role in providing strong, stable demand that is necessary for scaling up the supply and use of SAF,” Jan Toschka, President of Shell Aviation added that it “is particularly encouraging to see an airport committing to… volumes above the levels required by EU mandates”.
RTHA’s initial target of achieving a 8% SAF blend will be followed by incremental yearly increases of at least one percentage point until 2030, making for a total additional increase of minimal eight percentage points by 2030, on top of the statutory 6%. This will enable the airport to meet the Dutch target of using 14% SAF by 2030, as set out in the Sustainable Aviation Agreement.