Rolls-Royce successfully tests 100% SAF on engines for compatibility

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In what is a key achievement for sustainable aviation, Rolls-Royce announced it had successfully completed testing of 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on all its in-production civil aero engine types to ensure compatibility.

The tests concluded that 100 per cent SAF didn’t impact engine performance.

The news came ahead of the Dubai Airshow scheduled to begin on November 13.

Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO of Rolls-Royce, said: “Becoming the first jet engine manufacturer to publicly confirm all our in-production engines for long-haul aircraft and business jets are compatible with 100 per cent SAF, is an important milestone for both Rolls-Royce and the wider aviation industry.

“It’s also further evidence of our commitment to becoming a net zero company by 2050 and supporting our customers to do the same.”

This company has made a commitment in 2021 to show there are no engine technology barriers to the use of 100 per cent SAF.

According to IATA, these fuels can decrease CO2 emissions by close to 80 per cent. They can be produced from waste fats, oils and greases, municipal solid waste, agricultural and forestry residues, and wet wastes, among other sources.

Engines tested with 100 per cent SAF at Rolls-Royce facility

Engines tested include the Trent 700, 800, 900, 1000, and 7000, Trent XWB-84 and 97, BR725, and Pearl 700, 15 and 10X.

A ground test on a BR710 business jet engine at the company’s facility in Canada, completed the test regime.

Ground and flight tests were used to simulate in-service conditions.

Other clean fuels tested

Last year, EasyJet and Rolls-Royce Holdings successfully tested a converted jet engine running on hydrogen for the first time.

The test was conducted with a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional jet engine, using hydrogen created by wind and tidal power.

Read: EU approves new aviation law; 70% of jet fuels at airports to be green by 2050

In recent news, the first Emirates flights powered by SAF provided by Shell Aviation took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB) In November.

Shell has supplied 315,000 gallons of blended SAF for use to Emirates.

The blended SAF supplied by Shell into the DXB airport fuelling system consisted of 40 per cent neat SAF and 60 per cent conventional Jet A-1 fuel.