KUALA LUMPUR (April 10): Airbus and the Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC) have signed a research and technology cooperation agreement to study the supply chain for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production across the Asia-Pacific region.
Airbus said this collaboration marked a step forward in identifying opportunities and optimising processes that support SAF production, contributing to the decarbonisation of the aviation industry.
“The joint research will focus on Asean countries and selected Asia-Pacific nations.
“As part of the agreement, both parties will collect and analyse critical data from across the region, studying trends and dynamics affecting SAF feedstock availability and production,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
The two organisations will examine feedstocks and pathways validated under the International Civil Aviation Organisation Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (ICAO-CORSIA) framework, and explore potential feedstock candidates for future inclusion.
Airbus chief sustainability officer Julie Kitcher said Airbus is committed to driving the development of a robust SAF ecosystem globally, which includes unlocking the potential of the Asia-Pacific region.
“Through this partnership with AMIC, we are deepening our engagement in Malaysia by fostering research that supports the growth of a home-grown SAF industry.
“This is how we turn ambition into action by working together, harnessing the power of research and industry expertise to support both regional economic growth and the broader sustainability goals of the aviation sector,” she said.
Meanwhile, AMIC chairman Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid said this cooperation reflects AMIC’s commitment to fostering innovation that addresses the challenges of feedstock and SAF production.
“By focusing on supply chain optimisation, we aim to accelerate SAF development in the Asia-Pacific region, in support of the industry’s sustainability goals,” he said.
As a major lever in the journey towards the decarbonisation of the aerospace industry, SAF brings an average 80% reduction in carbon emissions over the life cycle, compared with fossil fuels, from production to end use.
All Airbus aircraft are already able to operate with up to 50% SAF. Airbus aims for all of its aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100% SAF by 2030.
