Etihad Airways and World Energy Bring Net-Zero Aviation to the UAE

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, and World Energy, a carbon-net-zero solutions provider, have announced the signing of a historic MoU to establish a long-term strategic partnership to decarbonize flights through in-sector emissions reductions.

Etihad is the first commercial airline to participate in World Energy’s recently launched service for airline and corporate climate leaders taking real action to achieve net-zero goals.

Gene Gebolys, CEO, World Energy said: “We are making long-term commitments with leaders to decarbonize transport. Our work with Etihad is strategic and rooted in purpose.

"It will drive innovation and accountability so we can scale sustainable fuels and make a real and impactful reduction toward effectively decarbonizing aviation.”

The announcement comes on the heels of the two companies powering the first net-zero flight using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) via a Book & Claim system.

Etihad and Cepsa Join Forces to Decarbonise Air Transport

This is accomplished by displacing approximately 26,000 gallons of petroleum-based jet fuel through the use of net-zero equivalent gallons of World Energy’s SAF at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The result was the elimination of approximately 250 metric tons of carbon related to Etihad’s regular routing flight from Washington Dulles to Abu Dhabi during COP27.

Mariam Alqubaisi, Head of Sustainability & Business Excellence, Etihad Airways, said: “Our NetZero flight proved Book & Claim is the only feasible path to net-zero commercial aviation using current technology and is the transition framework required until the supply of sustainable aviation fuel reaches its maturity and availability.

"Net-zero commercial aviation is possible, but we have to be honest as an industry and say there are significant logistical challenges to using SAF at present.

“We are committed to using actual SAF on our flights from the US and across the world when we can secure a sustainable and efficient supply at the airports we serve.”

The Book & Claim MoU between Etihad and World Energy establishes the pending agreement between the two companies, which is the first of its kind, long-term contract to supply an airline with the environmental attributes associated with SAF produced in Los Angeles, California.

The Book & Claim system is an efficient method to achieve carbon emission reductions in aviation and make meaningful progress toward achieving climate goals.

RSB (Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials), the organization that established this system, is working with Etihad and World Energy to include this flight as part of the RSB Book & Claim Manual testing as an official “pilot.”

The NetZero flight is the latest in a series of “EcoFlight” tests since Etihad launched its Greenliner programme in 2020, each one testing and proving a series of concepts. 

Read More: Etihad Teams Up with SATAVIA to Prevent Contrails on NetZero Flight