Lufthansa Cargo and Kühne+Nagel Promote Synthetic Aviation Fuel

The non-profit climate protection organization Atmosfair has opened the world’s first facility for the production of synthetic PtL kerosene in the Emsland region of Lower Saxony. The logistics companies Lufthansa Cargo and Kühne+Nagel are among the first customers and have committed to an annual purchase of 25,000 liters of synthetic crude oil for at least five years.

(Frankfurt am Main/Werlte) The two companies Kühne+Nagel and Lufthansa Cargo have entered into an exclusive partnership to promote and utilize Power-to-Liquid aviation fuel. The logistics service providers have jointly committed to supporting the world’s first production site for synthetic crude oil in Werlte/Emsland, Germany, by purchasing the equivalent of 20 tons, or 25,000 liters, annually. The synthetic fuel derived from this process is considered the fuel of the future, aimed at further reducing the CO₂ footprint of aircraft engines. The production site in Werlte is operated by the NGO atmosfair from Bonn.

“We clearly see the key to sustainably reducing our emissions in flight operations in the research and use of synthetic, sustainable aviation fuels. The fact that we are now pioneering Power-to-Liquid technology together with Kühne+Nagel makes us particularly proud and once again shows that we are actively addressing our challenges in climate protection,” explained Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, regarding the strategic background of the partnership with Kühne+Nagel.

Proud of Partnership

Yngve Ruud, member of the management board of Kühne+Nagel International AG, responsible for air freight, commented: “Today, our customers can already send their air freight CO2-neutrally with Kühne+Nagel’s bio-SAF solutions. With the procurement of synthetic SAF, we are now ushering in a new era of aviation. Together with our partner Lufthansa Cargo, we are enabling the world’s first Power-to-Liquid fuel production and sending a strong signal of commitment and cooperation. We invite our market competitors and customers to work together today to create the conditions for climate-neutral action.”

Sustainable Aviation Fuels as a Pillar for CO2-Neutral Flights

CO₂-neutral fuels or Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) are a crucial pillar on the path to CO₂-neutral flying. These fuels can be produced in various ways. So far, Lufthansa Cargo and Kühne+Nagel have been using Sustainable Aviation Fuels of biogenic origin, such as synthetic kerosene based on used cooking oils. In contrast, synthetic kerosene, also known as Power-to-Liquid fuel, is produced from regeneratively generated electricity, water, and CO₂. Due to this process, PTL-based aviation fuel is considered CO₂-neutral. Electricity-based fuels are still in development towards industrial production, but they are already seen as a long-term alternative to conventional kerosene or biogenic SAF, as they are theoretically producible without availability limits.

Syncrude as an Alternative to Fossil Crude Oil

Atmosfair, a non-profit climate protection organization based in Berlin, has built its own facility for the production of so-called “syncrude.” Syncrude is the Power-to-Liquid alternative to fossil crude oil. This crude oil is then refined at the Heide refinery north of Hamburg into finished Jet A1 fuel for aircraft, fed into the overall volume of the refinery, and delivered to Hamburg Airport. This first industrial facility is currently unique in Germany. Atmosfair plans to start regular operations in the first quarter of 2022.

Photo: © Lufthansa Cargo / Image caption: CEO Lufthansa Cargo Dorothea von Boxberg