• Largest SAF Purchase: IAG and Repsol sign Spain’s biggest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) deal, over 28,000 tons.
• Significant Emissions Reduction: SAF reduces emissions by more than 80% compared to traditional jet fuel.
• Strategic Investments: IAG commits $1 billion to SAF, securing a third of the SAF needed to meet its 2030 goal.

International Airlines Group (IAG) has inked a landmark agreement with Repsol for over 28,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), marking the largest SAF purchase in Spain. This fuel will be used by IAG’s airlines flying from Spanish airports, including Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Iberia Express, and Vueling.

Reducing Emissions

SAF reduces emissions by over 80% compared to traditional jet fuel, from production to consumption. “Sustainability is a priority for IAG and is one of the pillars on which we base our strategy and transformation,” stated IAG CEO Luis Gallego. “We are working intensely to secure our future SAF needs and comply with our commitments.”

Strategic Investments

As of December 2023, IAG’s investments in SAF reached $1 billion, with 86% committed to future purchases. By February, IAG had secured a third of the SAF needed to achieve its 2030 goal of using 10% SAF. In 2023, IAG’s airlines used over 53,000 tons of SAF, cutting CO2 emissions by 157,000 tons and enhancing operational efficiency to avoid another 86,000 tons of CO2.

Pioneering Efforts

Repsol is leading the way in renewable fuel production in Spain. The company’s Cartagena plant, the first large-scale facility in Spain and Portugal dedicated to producing 100% renewable fuels, has a capacity of 250,000 tons per year. “This agreement with IAG consolidates our commitment to 100% renewable fuels as a key lever for the decarbonization of transport in Spain,” said Repsol CEO Josu Jon Ima.

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Repsol aims to produce up to 1.7 million tons of renewable fuels by 2027 and 2.7 million by 2030, leading the market in the Iberian Peninsula. IAG was the first airline group to commit to net-zero emissions by 2050 and aims to cover 10% of its fuel needs with SAF by 2030.

IAG and Repsol’s collaboration extends to the All4Zero initiative, focusing on technologies for decarbonization and the circular economy. In recent years, Iberia and Vueling have conducted flights using SAF produced from waste and biomass, showcasing the potential for sustainable aviation.