A regular Iberia flight between Madrid and Bilbao has become this November the first flight to use biofuel produced in Spain from waste, thanks to the collaboration between the Spanish airline, Repsol Group and AENA. Specifically, the biofuel used belongs to the batch produced last August at the Petronor refinery, located near Bilbao.

The flight was operated with an Airbus A320neo aircraft, one of the most efficient aircraft in the world. Not only are they 50% quieter, but they emit 5,000 tonnes less CO2 per year and 50% less NOx.
The flight also performed a ‘green’ approach, a flight operation that improves fuel efficiency by reaching the optimum altitude level in the climb and descent phases.
This flight has managed to reduce the emission of 1.4 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, thanks to the improved fuel efficiency of the aircraft, combined with the use of sustainable biofuel. In addition, a zero-emission electric-powered aviation refuelling vehicle was used for refuelling, and the most efficient vehicles that Iberia Airport Services has deployed throughout its network of airports in Spain were used for all ground operations.

The batch of jet biofuel used is the third manufactured by Repsol and the first in the Spanish market to be produced from waste as a raw material. It is also the first initiative to emerge after the signing of the collaboration agreement towards more sustainable mobility signed by Repsol and Iberia last July, which includes in its programme the development of low-carbon aviation fuels.

Repsol is a pioneer in the manufacture of sustainable aviation fuels in Spain, and with this type of production in its industrial complexes it is anticipating the different measures that the EU is going to establish to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuels.