Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline and global energy group, Shell,
today (Thurs 1 Dec.) signed a Memo of Understanding (MOU) to
advance the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at over 200
Ryanair airports across Europe, with particular focus on SAF
supply at RYR’s largest bases like Dublin and London Stansted.
While SAF is a key enabler of aviation decarbonisation, it
currently accounts for just a small fraction of worldwide jet
fuel usage. This agreement with Shell gives Ryanair potential
access to 360,000 tonnes (120m gallons) of SAF between 2025 and
2030, saving over approx. 900,000 tonnes in CO2
emissions (equiv. to over 70,000 flights from Dublin to Milan).
The SAF that is covered by this MoU could potentially be produced
from multiple different technology pathways and a broad range of
sustainable feedstocks.
This agreement, which was signed at the Sustainable Aviation
Research Centre in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) this morning
(where Ryanair and TCD held an Aviation Sustainability Day),
demonstrates both Ryanair and Shell’s commitment to work together
to invest in SAF supply fuels. Ryanair has set itself ambitious
targets of 12.5% SAF by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.
Speaking at Ryanair’s Sustainability Day in TCD,
Sustainability Director, Thomas Fowler said:
“SAF plays a key role in our Pathway to Net Zero strategy,
and also our commitment to a target of 12.5% SAF by 2030. Today’s
agreement with Shell helps Ryanair secure access to c.20% of this
ambitious goal. Shell is a key sustainability partner for
Ryanair, and we look forward to building on this collaboration
with Shell as our Group grows sustainably to carry 225m
passengers annually by FY26.”
President of Shell Aviation, Jan Toschka, added:
“It is fantastic to build on our existing relationship with
Ryanair to now look at what we can achieve together on
sustainability. This initial agreement demonstrates that both
companies recognise that SAF is the key to unlock a net zero
future for aviation. We share the same ambition to enable
Ryanair’s passengers to fly lower carbon. Leadership and bold
actions are needed to accelerate the decarbonisation of flight,
and today’s announcement is a great example of this.”
