Emirates First Airline to Join UK’s ‘The Solent Cluster’ Low Carbon Investment Initiative

Photo source: Emirates

Emirates has become the first international airline to join “The Solent Cluster”, a UK initiative focused on low carbon investments established to reduce CO2 emissions from industry, transport and households in the South Coast of England.

“The Solent Cluster” is a cross-sector collaboration of international organisations, including manufacturers and engineering companies, regional businesses and industries, leading logistics and infrastructure operators and academic institutions. The Cluster has the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant with an estimated fuel production capacity of 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year. If approved, the plant could start operating in 2032.

According to a company announcement, Emirates’ long-term aspiration to secure UK-produced SAF with “The Solent Cluster” is in addition to several SAF initiatives the airline has announced over the last year.

“Emirates is proud to join like-minded organizations as part of ‘The Solent Cluster’ initiative,” Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark said.

Emirates joins over 100 members as part of the Cluster, alongside founding members the Solent Partners (previously the Solent LEP), global energy provider ExxonMobil and University of Southampton.

The Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre, Photo source: Solent Industrial Cluster

“The Cluster has strong potential to power clean energy innovation and production and is another step forward in our journey towards long-term SAF adoption within our network,” Clark said.

The common vision for the Solent Cluster’s members is to secure existing jobs and produce low-carbon fuels for a variety of sectors, including aviation.

According to Dr. Lindsay-Marie Armstrong, associate professor of mechanical engineering and academic cluster lead for the Solent Industrial Decarbonisation Cluster at University of Southampton, “The Solent Cluster” will introduce sustainable fuels for local transportation, the aviation and the shipping sectors; create low carbon energy to heat homes, businesses and public buildings; and open up new highly skilled jobs opportunities.

Emirates’ SAF initiatives include A380 and Boeing 777 demonstration flights using 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2023. Emirates has expanded its partnership with Neste for the supply of SAF in 2024 and 2025 for its operations in Amsterdam and Singapore. The airline also uplifted SAF for the first time at its hub in Dubai for commercial flights in October 2023.