TIDMWIZZ
Wizz Air Holdings PLC
24 April 2023
WIZZ AIR INVESTS GBP5M IN SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL PRODUCER
FIREFLY
-- First equity investment in biofuel company will allow Wizz
Air to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to its UK operations
from 2028
-- The GBP5m investment will support the development and
certification of SAF produced from sewage sludge
-- Partnership with Firefly has the potential to save 1.5m tonnes of CO2-eq1
24 April 2023: Wizz Air , Europe's fastest growing and most
environmentally sustainable airline globally(2) , today announces a
GBP5 million investment in a biofuel company, Firefly . This is
Wizz Air's first equity investment in sustainable aviation fuel
(SAF) research and development. The partnership with Firefly will
allow the airline to supply SAF to its UK operations from 2028, up
to 525,000 tonnes over 15 years. The agreement has the potential to
save 1.5 million tonnes of CO2-eq.
Firefly specialises in a process, which converts sewage sludge,
a low-value waste product available in large quantities, into SAF.
More than 57 million tonnes of sewage sludge are produced in the UK
each year, with the potential to produce 250,000 tonnes of SAF.
Firefly's SAF, which will be independently certified against the
leading sustainability standard RSB, is projected to deliver a 90%
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil jet fuel
on a life cycle basis(3) Firefly aims to have its first commercial
plant operating within the next 5 years(4) .
The agreement with Firefly and investment in new SAF technology
represents the latest milestone in Wizz Air's broader
sustainability strategy, including its ambitious fleet renewal plan
and already efficient low-cost operations with the latest
technology aircraft and high seat density and load factors. This
will further strengthen Wizz Air's position as an industry leader
in sustainability and drive its commitment to reducing its carbon
emissions per passenger/km by 25% by 2030.
In 2022, Wizz Air achieved its lowest-ever annual carbon
intensity which amounted to 55.2 grams per passenger/km,
representing a 15% reduction year-on-year. To achieve this, the
airline has invested heavily in its fleet by adding new and
replacing older aircraft with the Airbus A321neo aircraft. The
Airbus A321neo aircraft incorporates the latest technology,
offering significant environmental benefits and can currently fly
with up to 50% SAF blend. The share of the new "neo" technology
Airbus A320 family aircraft has already surpassed 50% of Wizz Air's
fleet. In addition to its ambitious fleet renewal programme, Wizz
Air is constantly working on fuel efficiency initiatives and
improving its data analytics.
Michael Berlouis, Head of Strategic Projects at Wizz Air, said:
"In addition to fleet renewal and operational efficiency, SAF is
crucial for reducing carbon emissions from aviation. However,
feedstock availability remains the key challenge for the industry.
Our investment in Firefly and its sewage sludge SAF technology is a
major step forward for Wizz Air in securing its long-term ability
to provide low-cost fares to its customers in an ever more
environmentally sustainable way. From 2028, we are aiming to
procure 525,000 tonnes of SAF from Firefly over a period of 15
years. This has the potential to reduce our emissions by 100,000
tonnes CO2-eq per year, which is equal to the emissions of over
12,000 return Wizz Air flights between London and Budapest".
James Hygate, CEO of Firefly Green Fuels, said: " We are
thrilled to be establishing a partnership with Wizz Air. The
investment will accelerate the commercialisation of our
game-changing Firefly process, with the binding offtake agreement
saving a staggering 1.5m tonnes of carbon emissions. Firefly will
facilitate a step change towards the future of air travel. The
feedstock, sewage sludge, is available in vast quantities globally
and with Firefly we can put it to a truly beneficial use, reducing
the use of fossil fuels in the hardest to decarbonise areas."
(1) The saving is based on the IATA carbon emission factor,
where 1kg of Jet fuel translates into 3.16 kg of CO2.
2 According to the CAPA - Centre for Aviation Awards for
Excellence 2022
3 Based on independent calculations by Cranfield University
4 SAF must be blended with conventional jet fuel to meet
regulatory requirements for use within the aircraft.
- END -
About Wizz Air
Wizz Air, the fastest growing European ultra-low-cost airline,
operates a fleet of 180 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. A team of
dedicated aviation professionals delivers superior service and very
low fares, making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 27.1 million
passengers in the Financial Year F22 ending 31 March 2022. Wizz Air
is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WIZZ. The
company was recently named one of the world's top ten safest
airlines by airlineratings.com, the world's only safety and product
rating agency, and Airline of the Year by Air Transport World in
2020, as well as Airline of the Year by Air Transport Awards in
2019 and 2023. Wizz Air has also been recognised as the "Most
Sustainable Low-Cost Airline" within the World Finance
Sustainability Awards 2022 and the "Global Environmental
Sustainability Airline Group of the Year" by the CAPA-Centre for
Aviation Awards for Excellence 2022.
About Firefly
Firefly's technology originated in the laboratories of Green
Fuels, a pioneer in renewable fuels founded in 2003 and awarded a
Royal Warrant of Appointment to the former HRH The Prince of Wales,
now King Charles III, in 2013. Firefly demonstrates an integrated
technology route to SAF using sewage sludge as feedstock,
addressing a market opportunity and unmet need. This route, once
qualified to international standards, will sit alongside other
development pathways and will be a strategic asset for the UK
within its national SAF portfolio. The project encompasses
engineering design and construction of a demonstrator plant,
capable of generating the quantities of fuel to allow
qualification. This in turn will lead to a first-of-a-kind
commercial refinery and roll-out to several UK locations where
airports, pipeline terminals and wastewater treatment works are in
close proximity.
For more information:
Wizz Air:
Daria Sergeeva, Sustainability Communications Manager:
daria.sergeeva@wizzair.com
Follow us on Instagram: @wizzair
Follow us on Facebook: @wizzair
Follow us on Twitter: @wizzair
Firefly:
Emma Harvey: emma@flyfirefly.uk
www.flyfirefly.uk
Notes for Editors:
-- All Wizz Air flights are operated on Airbus A320 aircraft
with 180 seats, Airbus A320neo with 186 seats, A321 aircraft with
230 seats and Airbus A321neo aircraft with 239 seats.
-- For free pictures of aircraft, crews and logo library please
visit http://wizzair.com/en-GB/press
-- For more information about Wizz Air's sustainability strategy
please see F23 Half-Year ESG Update
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NRAMZGZDRDGGFZG
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April 24, 2023 05:10 ET (09:10 GMT)
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