ESG Today writes that fuel accounts for most of the emissions coming from the aviation sector, which contributes with around 2-3% of the total share of greenhouse gas emissions. While SAF is regarded as a great way to reduce emissions for the industry on the short term especially, the adoption of this type of fuel is difficult, due to the fact that there isn't enough supply currently.

Under the new agreement, TotalEnergies will supply Airbus with half of the supply of sustainable aviation fuels the company needs for its operations in Europe, while the two entities will collaborate on the development of 100% sustainable fuels suitable for use in current and next-generation aircraft.

Airbus officials plan to reach a SAF share of 15% for the planet-wide operations by 2024 and at least 30% by the next decade. In 2023, the company was able to surpass the share of 10% SAF in its fuels mix, having used 11 million liters over the past year.

Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, said that "accelerating the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels is essential if we are to meet our targets for reducing carbon emissions from aviation by 2030. We are determined to meet our decarbonization targets and ensure that aviation can continue to play its valuable role for society in the future."

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, added that "the development of sustainable aviation fuels is at the heart of our Company’s transition strategy. TotalEnergies has been working hard to respond to the sector’s new demand for a reduced carbon footprint."