Ryanair has bought 500 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from OMV that will save 1,250 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The deal follows on from last year’s agreement that provides Ryanair the option to buy up to 160,000 metric tonnes of SAF from OMV until 2030.

Steven Fitzgerald, Ryanair’s head of sustainability, commented, “SAF plays a key role in our Pathway to Net Zero decarbonisation strategy in which we have committed to increasing our use of SAF over the coming years – a commitment that this deal with OMV will help move further forward.”

Ryanair has committed to using 12.5% SAF by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. It has opened the Ryanair Sustainable Aviation Research Centre with Trinity College Dublin, investing $22bn in its ‘Gamechanger’ fleet, which reduce CO2 emissions by 16%. It has a further $40bn investment for 300 Boeing 737 MAX-10 aircraft, which reduce CO2 emissions by 20% while carrying 21% more passengers.

OMV is also implementing measures to achieve its sustainability goals, and aims to become a regional leader in the supply of SAF.

Martijn van Koten, OMV executive vice president fuels and feedstock, said, “We are building a growth business for sustainable aviation fuel to support the industry’s journey towards a more sustainable future. We are proud of our partnership with Ryanair that allows both companies to leverage their expertise in promoting the use of SAF. This facilitates the transition towards the application of more sustainable forms of energy and helps reduce the climate impact of aviation.”

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