UAE launches research consortium for renewable and advanced aviation fuels

Emirates Airline joined (20-Nov-2023) the UAE's Centre for Renewable and Advanced Fuel Technologies for Aviation (Air-CRAFT) research consortium for renewable and advanced aviation fuels. The consortium is supported by the UAE's Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and General Civil Aviation Authority, and comprises eight founding entities: ADNOC, Boeing, Emirates, ENOC Group, Etihad Aviation Group, Honeywell, Khalifa University and Masdar. Air-CRAFT will bring together entities across the value chain including industrial policy makers, aviation regulators, fuel producers, academia and researchers, aircraft and powerplant manufacturers and airline operators. While based in the UAE, the consortium will engage with and welcome the participation of relevant international entities. UAE's Minister of Energy Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei said: "The UAE has committed to reaching net zero by 2050, and this goal can only be achieved by slashing the emissions across the board. Air-CRAFT will go a long way in supporting the decarbonisation of the aviation sector, helping to make it resilient and sustainable well into the future". The collaboration is in support of the UAE's National SAF Roadmap principles and the commercial aviation industry's goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Potential research topics at Air-CRAFT include environmental impact assessments, feedstock and process optimisation and techno-economic assessments. Air-CRAFT will also establish relevant links with other academic and research institutions in the UAE and internationally. The US Government supports Air-CRAFT being linked to the US-UAE Partnership to Accelerate Transition to Clean Energy agreement. [more - original PR]