Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre (Tadweer) has signed an agreement with Etihad Airways to facilitate the development of the first Waste-to-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (WtF) plant in the Middle East.
The agreement was signed at Dubai Air Show 2021. Upon completion, the plant will have the potential to transform up to 4 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) every year into 140 million gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), according to a press release issued on Monday.
The fuel produced from the WtF plant in Abu Dhabi would be compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) standards for decarbonization of the aviation sector.
The plant will help Abu Dhabi to divert 75 percent of municipal waste away from landfills.
This plant will significantly contribute to the UAE’s actions on Climate Change. The UAE is the host of the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28).
The Waste-to-SAF plant is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by about 1 million tonnes annually – equivalent to the removal of more than 200,000 cars from the road.
Mohammad Al Bulooki, COO Etihad Aviation Group, said the collaboration between Tadweer and Etihad Airways is “just the first step towards a much broader engagement within Abu Dhabi to create a hub for producing SAF and synfuels.”
The proposed WtF plant would be developed through joint procurement by Tadweer and Etihad Airways. Etihad airways would be entering into a long-term SAF offtake agreement and Tadweer as the provider of feedstock waste under a long-term waste supply agreement.
Private sector participants would be invited to submit proposals to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the facilities, which will use advanced commercially proven technology to convert municipal solid waste into Sustainable Aviation Fuel, said the press release.