Austrian energy refining company OMV Petrom has begun construction work on a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant at one of its refineries in Romania.
The Petrobrazi refinery will also produce renewable diesel upon completion.
The aim is to produce 250,000 metric tonnes of SAF and renewable diesel every year when the plant becomes operational in 2028. The project will also produce biofuels from two green hydrogen plants on site.
“Sustainable fuels are essential to decarbonise transportation, especially in sectors where electrification is difficult to implement, such as aviation,” said OMV Petrom CEO, Christina Verchere.
“Between 2022 and 2030, we are allocating 35% of our investment budget towards projects that support the energy transition, in Romania and the region.”
SAF is currently the most obvious route to net zero transition for the aviation industry.
A recent study showed global SAF demand is set to surge by 2030. However, European airlines are concerned that production in Europe is not moving at the same pace to meet growing demand, resulting in the possibility of higher cost SAF exports from the US and China.
