Availability of Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Rome-Fiumicino Airport is increasing

Rome-Fiumicino Airport is increasing the availability of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel), an aviation biofuel made from renewable raw materials capable of supporting the reduction of CO₂ emissions in the aviation sector.

The “Leonardo da Vinci” airport has become the first Italian airport to employ SAF, allowing ITA Airways to use it on the airline’s first 10 flights on 15 October 2021. From 25 March 2022, it will further increase distribution so that, throughout 2022, ITA Airways will be capable of powering two routes (Rome-Venice and Rome-Barcelona) as part of its decarbonisation project.

Around 3,000 tonnes of Jet fuel + Eni SAF (fuel blended with renewable raw material components) came from the Eni refinery in Taranto to the port of Civitavecchia, where it was unloaded at the coastal depot of SODECO (part of the Ludoil Group), which directly supplies Rome-Fiumicino Airport. This is a further step towards the expansion of Aeroporti di Roma’s commitment to sustainability and decarbonisation of the sector, given that Rome-Fiumicino was the first airport in Europe to obtain the highest Airport Carbon Accreditation 4+ “Transition” from ACI EUROPE for CO₂ reduction. The group has also confirmed that it will drive its greenhouse emissions down to zero by 2030, well ahead of the original sector targets.

At present, the jet fuel + Eni SAF from the Taranto refinery is produced by feeding conventional plants with 0.5% Used Cooking Oil. The organic component of the approximately 3,000 tonnes available at Fiumicino airport saves more than 50 tonnes of CO₂ compared to an equivalent load of fossil fuel products.