Rotterdam Gets World-Scale e-SAF Facility

Significant Milestone in Powering the Energy Transition-Power2X, the Amsterdam-based transition energy specialist, teams up with the global market leader for terminal storage, Advario, to construct a large e-SAF production and storage facility in the Port of Rotterdam under the wider ambition of the European Union to reduce carbon emissions and to accelerate the pace of change in sustainable aviation fuels.

The new facility will represent a vital contributor in meeting the continually increasing need for renewable aviation fuel. Since 2030 is the year that the European Union is supposed to produce 20% of all aviation fuels from renewable sources, the new facility will play a significant role in supporting this goal. With an annual production capacity of over 250,000 tonnes of e-SAF-the equivalent of powering over 7,000 transatlantic flights from Amsterdam to New York-it will stand as one of the largest e-SAF facilities once completed. This project is a giant step toward the fulfillment of global demand for cleaner, low-emission fuels and will further strengthen the Port of Rotterdam’s position as one of the leaders in Europe in the transition to energy.

E-SAF: A Cleaner Future for Aviation

E-SAF is a low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel derived from green hydrogen—a non-fossil fuel that features nearly an 85 percent improvement over conventional fuels by aviation standards in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. The process uses green methanol as a feedstock, sourced from renewable energy-rich regions and biogenic carbon. This fuel will help reduce the carbon footprint associated with the aviation industry because lifecycle emissions can be reduced up to 90 percent when compared with traditional jet fuels.

This is to mean that the non-centre regulation of the European Union will introduce significant increases in SAF usage starting from 2030, as such production facilities like the ones being developed by Power2X and Advario are necessary. It should be noted that the Port of Rotterdam is already supplying 24% of Europe’s present demands, and this new facility would add on more capacity to satisfy the futures demands of sustainable aviation fuel.

Strategic Location and Infrastructure

Rotterdam is an ideal location with optimal access to European airports, promoting efficient fuel distribution towards the aviation sector. Advario will develop and operate a dedicated storage facility with a volume of around 230,000 cubic meters to ensure a continuous supply chain. The storage hub should be an important location in Europe for the steady availability for airlines and airports.

The project site is strategically located. The site of 26 hectares, previously used for other industrial purposes, was transformed by Advario into a sustainable energy hub with direct waterfront access, making it extremely well-positioned to be handled for green energy projects. The proximity to existing hydrogen infrastructure supports the integration of renewable energy solutions into the facility’s operations.

Leadership with a Vision for a Greener Future

Both Power2X and Advario take this project as absolutely vital in nudging the energy transition further toward its long-term sustainability goals. Founder and CEO of Power2X, Occo Roelofsen, was happy about the prospects that this partnership would unlock into it, with an even bigger effect on the global state of energy infrastructure: “The project demonstrates our commitment to developing next-generation energy infrastructure and accelerating the energy transition.”. This strategically located location and the business model innovation seek to make competitive production of e-SAF at a global scale in the heart of Europe possible.

Similarly, Bas Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer at Advario, said, “This is a great example of the strategy to play a frontrunner role in the energy transition. We are very pleased to enter into this long-term partnership with Power2X, providing essential storage and logistics infrastructure for their world-scale e-SAF facility.”

Already a significant participant in the European aviation fuel supply chain, this project also shines light on its significance. Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority explained further that the facility will provide 40% of the required volume of e-SAF once in operation. Siemons further explained: “For that, the EU sets a target that 20 percent of all aviation fuels are to be produced from renewable sources. The production of e-SAF in Rotterdam is therefore important for meeting future demand for SAF.”. This program by Advario and Power2X is a point of succ. towards the conversion of fossil fuel into green, sustainable production in the port of Rotterdam.

Role of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in Decarbonization

As the aviation industry is under increasing pressure to become more environmentally friendly, the production of e-SAF and other kinds of sustainable fuels is of paramount importance. Indeed, the two major sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector are attributed to the generally fossil-based traditional aviation fuels, and the mass deployment of SAF can significantly reduce emissions without the need to modify the existing aircraft or infrastructure.

The new e-SAF at Rotterdam will do a great deal to see that Europe gets diversified fuel supply and can lessen reliance on fossil fuels. And against this backdrop of growing global attention towards decarbonization, building and expanding the power of actions implemented together to forge a cleaner and better future for not just aviation but beyond it will have more significance.

Conclusion

A concrete expression of the joint commitment of Power2X and Advario to the energy transition is already being carried out by combining forces in the construction of a large-scale e-SAF facility at the Port of Rotterdam. The project will rely on green hydrogen and other renewable sources of energy for the production of large volumes of sustainable aviation fuel, thus furthering the decarbonization process across Europe and allowing both companies to meet their individual regulatory requirements. With aviation becoming more and more clean energy-oriented, initiatives like this will be vital in pushing the sector to adopt sustainable fuels and ultimately, reduce the sector’s environmental footprint.

Source: The Port of Rotterdam

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