Cepsa and Wizz Air partner to boost SAF uptake

The MoU gives Wizz Air the opportunity to purchase SAF from Cepsa for the supply across the airline’s route network in Spain from 2025.

This SAF will be produced from organic waste, such as used cooking oil (UCO) or agricultural waste, among others.

According to a statement, these advanced biofuels promote the circular economy by being produced from waste that would otherwise end up in landfills and will make it possible to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 90 percent compared to conventional kerosene.

Builds on a previous initiative

The partnership follows an initiative at the Seville Airport in November 2022, when Wizz Air was among 220 flights that departed from the airport over one-week using SAF produced by Cepsa at its La Rábida Energy Park in Huelva.

This was the first time that a SAF supply of these characteristics was carried out at an airport in southern Europe.

It was also the first time in Spain that the entire value chain was certified traceable by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) system from the production of the sustainable fuel to the actual supply.

As one of the main producers and suppliers of aviation fuels in the Spanish market, this new agreement consolidates Cepsa’s aim to become a leader in the clean energy sector and to spearhead the decarbonization of air transport.

As part of its strategic plan, Positive Motion, the company is developing an ecosystem focused on accelerating the decarbonization of industrial customers and air and maritime transport, as well as the company itself, through the production of green molecules, mainly renewable hydrogen, and biofuels.

Cepsa aspires to be the leading biofuel producer in Spain and Portugal by 2030 with a production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per year, with a particular focus on the sustainability of air traffic by having an annual production capacity of 800 000 tons of SAF.

The company has established an ambitious roadmap to cut its emissions, placing it among the benchmark companies in its sector.

By 2030, it will reduce its Scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 55 percent and the carbon intensity index of its products by 15-20 percent and aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

At Cepsa we are committed to creating solutions that make air transport more sustainable and partnerships like the one with WizzAir to develop SAF are absolutely fundamental in our joint decarbonization journey with our clients, said Tobi Pardo, Director of Aviation at Cepsa.

Spain is an important market for Wizz

Wizz Air has established its SAF strategy, which includes securing offtake agreements with suppliers for the future to reduce carbon emissions per passenger/km by 25 percent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

Wizz Air currently operates flights to 14 Spanish cities: Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Castellón, Fuerteventura, Ibiza, Madrid, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santander, Seville, Tenerife, Valencia, and Zaragoza.

We are excited to partner with Cepsa, a renowned energy company, to establish a SAF supply chain for Wizz Air in Spain. In addition to flying the world’s most sustainable fleet, we are making biofuel a key element to maintaining our leadership in sustainability and exceeding our commitment to reducing carbon intensity by 25 percent by 2030, said Ian Malin, EVP and Group Chief Financial Officer at Wizz Air.