In a significant step towards decarbonizing air transport, TotalEnergies, Daher, and Groupe ADP have introduced a permanent offer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at the Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport. This initiative, launched in early June 2024, aims to serve general aviation users looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
The SAF provided by TotalEnergies is derived from waste and residues from the circular economy and is blended up to 35% with conventional kerosene. This blend maintains the technical properties of standard aviation fuel, allowing for its use without requiring any modifications to aircraft or refueling infrastructure. Importantly, it offers a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 30% over its entire lifecycle compared to traditional fossil fuels.
“We are delighted to be able to complete our offer with SAF for users of the Paris-Saclay-Versailles platform and thus meet the strong demand from the aeronautics sector to reduce its carbon footprint. Sustainable aviation fuels are essential for reducing CO2 emissions from air transport, and their development is fully in line with the company’s climate ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, together with society. We also aim to produce 1.5Mt of SAF by 2030,” said Louise Tricoire, Director of Aviation and Marine Fuels at TotalEnergies.
Groupe ADP’s 2025 Pioneers strategic plan underscores the importance of decarbonization. The Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport, which functions as an innovation and training hub, embodies this commitment by integrating sustainable practices into its operations. This airport collaborates with various entities, including associations, private companies, and aircraft manufacturers, solidifying its role at the forefront of sustainable aviation.
TotalEnergies has a long history at the Paris-Saclay-Versailles site, providing multi-energy solutions for over 50 years. The company has introduced several initiatives to support decarbonization, including:
- Two electric charging stations for light aircraft
- SP 98-type fuel suitable for aviation
- The new SAF offering
- Four electric refueling vehicles to minimize emissions from ground operations
“This provision of Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport, where we have one of our main maintenance bases in France, is an important step for the promotion of these fuels to our customers. Since 2022, we have been using the mixture of Jet A-1 and SAF on our TBM and Kodiak aircraft for flight operations at our French industrial site in Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées, or at airports where it is available. Daher is strongly committed to the transition towards carbon neutrality by 2050,” added Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of the Daher Aircraft Division.
The introduction of SAF at Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport marks a pivotal advancement in the quest for sustainable aviation, reflecting a collective effort towards achieving carbon neutrality in the aviation sector.
“The Paris-Saclay-Versailles aerodrome constitutes a real incubator for promoting sustainable and innovative aviation. After the installation of charging stations to support the growth of electric aviation in 2023, this new initiative in favor of the decarbonization of general aviation is aimed more particularly at travel airplanes and helicopters present on the platform. We are convinced that this sustainable aeronautical fuel offering will generate increasing demand which will gradually allow us to decarbonize all operations,” said Sebastien Couturier, Director of the Paris-Le Bourget Airport and General Aviation Aerodromes.