German aircraft manufacturer Deutsche Aircraft and South African chemicals and energy company Sasol have signed an MoU on advancing technology for green hydrogen-based Power-to-Liquid (PtL) sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The two companies are to work on the certification of sustainable drop-in and non-drop-in jet fuels, including the ramp-up of PtL-SAF for aviation.

D328eco

With its D328eco programme, Deutsche Aircraft is working on an aircraft in the under 50-seat market that will achieve near carbon neutrality.

The aircraft, which is scheduled to be certified in 2026, will be able to use 100 per cent H2-SAF (PtL) on top of any other certified SAF, and regular kerosene.

“Sasol ecoFT and Deutsche Aircraft stand at the beginning of a decarbonisation journey. We both have products originally designed in the age of fossil fuels. Together we can develop rapid solutions to combat climate change by improving our products while building on our heritage and expertise,” said Dave Jackson, CEO of Deutsche Aircraft.

PtL-SAF

PtL-SAF uses, for example, CO2 recycled from regular air, and hydrogen, produced with green energy, to form a synthetic fuel. Fuels manufactured like this still have the similar characteristics as regular kerosene: high energy density at low volume, proven safety, and distribution by established infrastructure.

“We are extremely excited about the partnership with Deutsche Aircraft as we take a holistic approach to climate-neutral aviation by looking at the whole value chain from fuel production up to aircraft system level. Joining forces between aircraft manufacturers and fuel producers is vital, if we want to ensure that aviation becomes sustainable, while ensuring the highest possible safety standards,” added Helge Sachs, Senior Vice President, of Sasol ecoFT.

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