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During the 3rd ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) in Dubai, during the UAE Year of Sustainability, eight founding entities announced the creation of the “Air-CRAFT” initiative, a research consortium based in the UAE that aims to develop, produce, and scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technologies.
Air-CRAFT, or the UAE Centre for Renewable and Advanced Fuel Technologies for Aviation, is a first-of-its-kind initiative that will bring together entities across the value chain – industrial policymakers, aviation regulators, fuel producers, academia and researchers, aircraft and powerplant manufacturers, and airline operators. The eight founding entities are ADNOC, Boeing, Emirates, ENOC Group, Etihad, Honeywell, Khalifa University, and Masdar.
For more than a decade, Etihad has committed to pioneering the development of SAF supply chains in the UAE and beyond, and since 2019, with the deployment of the Etihad Boeing Greenliner Programme, has driven an industry-leading sustainability initiative which targets all areas of our value chain. With Air-CRAFT, the Etihad ethos of partnerships and collaboration, and pursuit of the million little things continues strongly, under the banner of sustainability and the UAE
Mohammad Al Bulooki – Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Airways
While based in the UAE, the consortium will also engage with, and welcome the participation of relevant international entities as it progresses. The new initiative was announced on the sidelines of CAAF/3 today and ahead of COP28. The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure supports Air-CRAFT.Â
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 decarbonization of the aviation sector, helping to make it resilient and sustainable well into the future.
His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei – Minister of Energy and Infrastructure
The collaboration supports the UAE’s National SAF Roadmap principles and the commercial aviation industry’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050. At CAAF/3 today, senior representatives from the eight consortium entities signed a strategic collaboration agreement to kickstart the Air-CRAFT initiative.
Building a thriving local SAF economy requires collaboration across the value chain and we are honoured to have helped catalyse and now work with this esteemed group on Air-CRAFT to further spark SAF innovation in the UAE and beyond
Brian Moran – Vice president, Global Sustainability Policy and Partnerships at Boeing
Our suite of technologies enables SAF producers to capitalize on a range of non-competing feedstocks, including waste fats, used oils and greases, biomass, ethanol, methanol and captured carbon dioxide, and we are fully committed to accelerating the local production and deployment of SAF in the UAE. Underscoring this commitment, we are proud to form Air-CRAFT alongside our valued partners to support the UAE’s National SAF roadmap and advance its leadership in this critical innovation
Mohammed Mohaisen – President and CEO Middle East and North Africa, Honeywell
Potential research topics at Air-CRAFT include environmental impact assessments, feedstock and process optimization, and techno-economic assessments. Air-CRAFT will also establish relevant links with other academic and research institutions in the UAE and internationally.
The U.S. government supports Air-CRAFT being linked to the intergovernmental US-UAE ‘Partnership to Accelerate Transition to Clean Energy’ (PACE) agreement.
The consortium’s industrial and institutional partners will provide market demand, expertise, and technology to support research into the production of alternative fuels for the aviation sector while extending an open invitation to UAE and international entities to join. Air-CRAFT is already in advanced discussions with key and strategic global players to be announced in due course.
The world needs to accelerate the pace of progress towards net zero and this requires us to decarbonize core sectors such as aviation. Collaboration and innovation will be key to addressing all emissions and ADNOC is already working with our customers to help them transition to new energies
Hanan Balalaa – Senior Vice President, New Energies, ADNOC
UAE’s decarbonisation efforts
The UAE is a prominent player in the global energy industry and is actively working towards decarbonizing its economy. It was the first country in the Gulf region to sign the Paris Agreement and the first Middle Eastern and North African country to commit to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Adopting SAF is the largest decarbonisation lever accessible to the aviation sector. Due to financial, technological, or regulatory obstacles, no other technology platform is anticipated to substantially contribute to carbon neutrality targets for long-haul commercial flights in particular for the next three decades at the very least. Despite this, SAF is supply-constrained and needs to be scaled rapidly.
The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has published the National SAF Roadmap which has five principles to guide the industry in accelerating the decarbonization of the sector and transforming it into a regional hub for alternative aviation fuels. The five principles are:
Air-CRAFT will pursue the industrialization of SAF production and create an ecosystem to address the five principles of the National SAF Roadmap.
Etihad Aviation Group is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and one of the two major airlines in the country.
The airline commenced operations in November 2003 from its main base at Zayed International Airport, and is the second-largest airline in the UAE after Emirates. With a fleet of 85 Airbus and Boeing aircraft as of January 2024, the airline operates more than 1,000 flights each week to over 120 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America.
Founded in 1971, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is a leading diversified energy group, wholly owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi. The company is already among the highest-performing oil and gas producers in terms of low carbon intensity. Furthermore, it is taking significant measures to reduce the environmental impact of its current energy production, while simultaneously investing in clean energy technology for the future. By doing so, it is reinforcing its position as a trustworthy and accountable global energy provider.
ADNOC is allocating an initial $23 billion to advance and accelerate lower-carbon solutions, investing in new energies and decarbonisation technologies to enable its net zero by 2045 ambition and commitment to zero methane emissions by 2030.
The Boeing Company is an American multinational corporation that designs manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. The corporation, a leading exporter from the United States, uses the talents of a large global supplier network to promote sustainability, community impact, and economic opportunity.
Emirates is one of two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates. The story started in 1985 when Emirates launched operations with just two aircraft. Today, the airline flies the world’s biggest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, offering customers the comforts of the latest and most efficient wide-body aircraft in the skies.
Initially established in 1993, Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) L.L.C. is a global diversified state-owned energy group that operates in the oil, gas, and coal industry. Wholly owned by the Government of Dubai, the company has made significant contributions to Dubai's continued drive towards economic diversification and sustainable development.
Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defence and space aircraft in the world. With an unmatched heritage of innovation that spans more than a century, the company aims to solve the greatest challenges faced by CEOs, pilots, operators, passengers, finance, maintenance and cabin crew members - ultimately transforming the way we all fly.
Honeywell improves air travel with better fuel efficiency, on-time flights, safety, comfort, and traffic management. One of the most advanced and extensive portfolios in the industry is used to achieve this, including top-notch engines, cockpits, cabin design, wireless connectivity, and enterprise performance management services. This is true even for emerging market segments such as flying taxis. In addition, world-class customer service, repairs, and technical support are provided.
Khalifa University is an internationally top-ranked research-intensive university located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Masdar, also known as the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, is one of the world's fastest growing renewable energy companies and a green hydrogen leader, placing the UAE at the forefront of the energy transition. Masdar unites the UAE’s three energy champions – Mubadala, ADNOC and TAQA. The company has developed projects in more than 40 countries across six continents and has invested, or committed to invest, in worldwide projects with a combined value of more than US$30 billion.
