OMV supplies Austrian Airlines with sustainable aviation fuel under the partnership agreement

Innovation and future-oriented technologies are essential to meet climate and greenhouse-gas emissions targets. The aviation industry plays an important role in this as the industry accounts for 2.8% of total CO₂ emissions worldwide. The aviation industry needs to decarbonize to meet its target of carbon neutrality by 2050. One of the most important levers is the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). OMV, together with its longstanding cooperation partner Austrian Airlines, is focusing on sustainable aviation fuel produced at OMV’s Schwechat refinery, one of the largest and most complex inland refineries in Europe. Following the signing of the supply contract at the end of 2021, the first SAF was delivered in March 2022 to the Vienna International Airport for fueling Austrian Airlines’ aircraft. 

“OMV is implementing numerous measures to achieve its ambitious strategic sustainability goals, and sustainable aviation fuel plays a key role in our transformation. We are planning to increase sales of SAF from our own production from approx. 2,000 this year to more than 700,000 metric tons per year by 2030. With this, we address the reduction of greenhouse gases. The first milestone is already achieved with the delivery of SAF to our longstanding partner, Austrian Airlines. Through this cooperation, we demonstrate the strength of two national champions, OMV and Austrian Airlines, which further solidifies Austria as an innovation hub”, said Elena Skvortsova, Executive Officer for Marketing & Trading at OMV.

“Aviation will continue to connect people and societies around the world. Sustainable aviation fuels are a key lever for making transport and connectivity carbon-neutral. As the first Austrian airline, we are already fueling our aircraft with SAF, bringing us a step closer to meet our climate goals”, said Michael Trestl, Chief Commercial Officer at Austrian Airlines.

Martijn van Koten, OMV Executive Board Member for Refining: “Sustainable aviation fuels are a core technology for reducing CO₂ emissions in air travel and they demonstrate the enormous innovation potential of the industry. The production of SAF at our Schwechat Refinery can be seen as highly efficient not only due to the use of regionally sourced sustainable raw materials but also due to the use of existing infrastructure for production, storage and fueling at Vienna International Airport”.

“The supply chain for our SAF could not be any more “Austrian”. The cooperation with OMV shows how regionally such innovations can be built and prove Austrian visionary power!”, adds Austrian Airlines Chief Operational Officer Francesco Sciortino.

Sustainable aviation fuel is produced by OMV by co-processing sustainable and regional raw materials, specifically used cooking oil. Compared to conventional jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel delivers a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of more than 80% over the entire life cycle. 

About OMV Aktiengesellschaft

With Group sales revenues of EUR 36 bn and a workforce of around 22,400 employees in 2021, OMV is amongst Austria’s largest listed industrial companies.

In Chemicals & Materials, OMV through its subsidiary Borealis, is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and circular polyolefin solutions and a European market leader in base chemicals, fertilizers, and plastics recycling. Together with its two major joint ventures – Borouge (with ADNOC, in the UAE and Singapore) and Baystar™ (with TotalEnergies, in the USA) – Borealis supplies products and services to customers across the globe.

OMV’s Refining & Marketing business produces and markets fuels as well as feedstock for the chemical industry, operates three refineries in Europe, and holds a 15% stake in a refining joint venture in the UAE. OMV operates around 2,100 filling stations in ten European countries. In addition, the activities include Gas & Power Eastern Europe where it also operates a gas-fired power plant in Romania.

In Exploration & Production, OMV explores and produces oil and gas in the four core regions of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, North Sea, and Asia-Pacific. Average daily production in 2021 included production from a joint venture in Russia and amounted to 486,000 boe/d with a focus on natural gas (~60%). As of March 1, 2022, Russian entities are no longer consolidated. Its activities include Gas Marketing Western Europe, where it also operates gas storage facilities in Austria and Germany. 

OMV intends to transition from an integrated oil, gas, and chemicals company to become a leading provider of innovative and sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials, while taking a leading global role in the circular economy. By switching over to a low-carbon business, OMV is striving to achieve net zero in all three Scopes by 2050 at the latest. 

About Austrian Airlines 

Austrian Airlines is Austria's leading airline with a worldwide route network of more than 100 destinations. With its hub at Vienna Airport, Austrian Airlines connects Austria with Europe and the whole world. As Austria's flag carrier, Austrian Airlines embodies highest service quality and acts responsibly to society and the environment. In order to achieve the global environmental goals, Austrian Airlines has committed itself to halve its CO₂ emissions by 2030 and to fly carbon-neutrally by 2050. Austrian Airlines is part of the Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline group, and a member of the Star Alliance, the first global group of international airlines.

Source:

OMV, press release, 2022-04-12.