TotalEnergies is actively responding to a call from its aviation customers to increase production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
As from 2028, the company said in a news release that it will be in a position to produce half a million tons of SAF, enough to cover the gradual increase in the European SAF blending mandate, set at 6% for 2030.
To this end, TotalEnergies is investing massively and has launched multiple SAF production projects. These include:
- Grandpuits – TotalEnergies is investing €400m to convert the site into a zero-crude platform, primarily focused on producing SAF from circular feedstock such as animal fat and used cooking oil. Grandpuits will be able to produce 210,000 tons/y of SAF as of 2025, and a new investment has been announced to produce a further 75,000 tons/y by 2027.
- Normandy – TotalEnergies has started coprocessing SAF from used cooking oil at its Gonfreville refinery. The Company plans to increase annual production at the site to 40,000 tons from 2025. In addition, following technical work carried out with its aeronautical partners, TotalEnergies will produce an additional 150,000 tons/y of SAF by coprocessing HVO biodiesel produced at La Mède as soon as this production method is approved by the ASTM1.
- La Mède – TotalEnergies has invested €340m to convert its refinery into a biorefinery. Biodiesel produced at La Mède is already being used to make SAF at the TotalEnergies Oudalle plant near Le Havre. TotalEnergies is studying a new investment to have the capacity to process at La Mède, by 2024, 100% waste from the circular economy (used cooking oil and animal fat) to produce biofuels and SAF by coprocessing.
Beyond France, TotalEnergies aims to produce 1.5 million tons/y of SAF by 2030 at production units in Europe, the United States, Japan and South Korea, representing 10% of the world market by that date.
“TotalEnergies is taking action to meet the strong demand from the aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint. Sustainable aviation fuel is essential to reducing the CO2 emissions of air transport, and its development is fully aligned with the Company’s climate ambition to get to net zero by 2050, together with society,” said Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and chief executive officer of TotalEnergies.
