UK-headed oil, gas, and energy major bp plc has revealed that bp Spain's Castellón refinery in Spain has become the world’s first refinery to receive Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) certification for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Issued by the International Sustainability Carbon Certification (ISCC) and endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), CORSIA certification means the Madrid-based refinery is now certified to incorporate biogenic raw materials in the SAF it produces.
It is also in line with bp’s objective of decarbonizing the refinery through the processing of renewable oils for low-carbon fuels.
2021 also marks the start of CORSIA’s deadline for voluntary participation in its scheme, which aims to stabilize international civil aviation net carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at 2019 levels, from 2021, using offsetting programs.
While the scheme is currently voluntary, the second phase which starts in 2027 will be mandatory for most states.
So far, 81 countries, including all EU Member States, representing around 80 percent of global aviation activity, have signed up for CORSIA’s initial voluntary phase.
The aviation sector, which currently accounts for around 2 percent of human-made carbon emissions, has a goal of halving those emissions by 2050 relative to 2005 levels. The adoption of SAF is key to achieving that ambition. That is why it is so important that Castellón is the first SAF refinery in the world to receive CORSIA certification, to which most airlines will have to adhere in the coming years to guarantee the sustainability of civil aviation, said Carlos Barrasa, President of bp Spain.
Globally, bp has made a commitment to reduce its oil and gas production by 40 percent in 2030 compared to 2019 levels, in line with its ambition to be a net zero company by 2050 or earlier.
