Sasol’s sustainable aviation fuel to power White Desert’s polar trips

Image credit: White Desert

The deal is the next step in Sasol’s cleaner jet fuel journey, following independent certification from the German agency TÜV SÜD in April for its sustainable aviation fuel.

The co-processed SAF is produced using cooking oil and vegetable oil at the company’s 108,500 barrels per day Natref plant that primarily runs on crude oil.

Touting the new deal as Africa’s first commercial SAF supply agreement, Sasol is seeking similar deals with larger European and Middle Eastern airlines, Danie Cronje, senior vice president for business building, strategy and technology, told Reuters.

White Desert, which operates one flight a week from Cape Town to Antarctica during its November to February season, said the first flight using Sasol’s SAF on an Airbus A340-600 is scheduled for sometime in November.

Sasol targets major EU market shift with sustainable jet fuel

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The company, which previously sourced sustainable SAF from Europe, turned to a local supplier after Sasol received its SAF certification, a senior official said.

Depending on customer demand, Natref, which is converting into a hybrid bio-refinery, is targeting one to two million litres this year, around 16 million in 2027 and up to 100 million litres by 2030.

Kenya Airways and Rubis Energy Kenya, a unit of France’s Rubis, signed a non-binding deal in May to develop what they said was Africa’s first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel refinery.

This greenfield plant, which will use animal fats and waste vegetable oils, is expected to meet strict EU rules on what counts as sustainable SAF amid a debate in Europe that has seen airlines push back against guidelines.