Aramco, TotalEnergies, And SIRC Join Forces To Develop Sustainable Aviation Fuel Plant In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco, TotalEnergies, and the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) have announced a joint agreement to explore developing a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Saudi Arabia. This initiative aligns with French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the Kingdom. The collaboration aims to combine each company's expertise to establish an SAF facility in the Eastern Province.

The project will focus on using innovative engineering and technology to recycle local waste, such as cooking oils and animal fats, into SAF. This approach supports the circular economy by converting organic materials into sustainable products. The evaluation phase will assess the feasibility of these processes.

Amin Hassan Nasser, President and CEO of Saudi Aramco, emphasized the importance of addressing aviation emissions with low-carbon alternatives due to increasing air travel demand. "Addressing transportation emissions requires a wide range of approaches, and Aramco is committed to finding innovative solutions and contributing to global efforts to reduce emissions," he stated.

Nasser highlighted the strong partnership between Saudi Aramco and TotalEnergies. He noted their shared goal of establishing an SAF plant in Saudi Arabia with SIRC's involvement. This initiative aims to benefit both domestic and international airlines as tourism and aviation sectors grow.

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with Saudi Aramco and SIRC on this project. He underscored the significance of advancing efforts to decarbonize air transport through SAF production in the Kingdom.

Ziyad Al-Shiha, CEO of SIRC, stated that this partnership supports Saudi Vision 2030's sustainability goals and the Saudi Green Initiative. "We are focusing on increasing waste-to-resource conversion rates, and this new collaboration with Saudi Aramco and TotalEnergies to assess the feasibility of a renewable aviation fuel plant is a significant step toward advancing the circular economy in the Kingdom," he added.

This collaboration represents a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions in aviation while supporting sustainable development goals within Saudi Arabia. By leveraging local resources for SAF production, these companies aim to contribute positively to environmental sustainability efforts globally.

With inputs from SPA