FARNBOROUGH—Embraer and Brazilian fuel producer Raízen have signed a letter of intent (LOI) with the aim of increasing the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the South American nation.
Raízen is already a producer of ethanol, which is widely used as a motor vehicle fuel in Brazil and also to power Embraer’s agricultural aircraft. The company said it has already cut the equivalent of 30 million tons of CO2 but aims to step up production to the tune of an extra 10 million metric tons per year.
Few details about timelines or the type and quantity of SAF were provided at the Farnborough Airshow. However, the aim is that Raízen will help Embraer reach its target of having SAF blends representing 100% of its fuel consumption within Brazil by the end of the decade.
“SAF plays a key role in reducing aviation emissions in the short and medium term,” Embraer VP people, ESG and communications, Carlos Alberto Griner said, adding that environmental, social, and governance “is one of the pillars of our strategic plan and we are looking at every opportunity to accelerate the reduction of our carbon emissions.”
Raízen aims to expand its renewable energy and fuel sources by 80%, the company’s president of marketing and services, Antonio Cardoso said. “As the largest sugarcane ethanol producer in the world, it is only natural that we are looking at a possible supply of SAF,” he said.
The LOI announcement comes just weeks after Embraer proved that its E2 range of regional jets can fly with 100% SAF in their tanks. “We believe we have to earn our right to exist, our right to grow as an industry,” Embraer SVP, engineering and technology, Luis Carlos Affonso said at Farnborough.
