EDF and its partnersthe cement manufacturer Holcim, the IIFP (IFP Energies Nouvelles) and Axens, announce that they have signed memorandums of understanding to develop “ take kair », an innovative industrial e-kerosene project in Pays de la Loire, which will meet the needs of the new French sustainable aviation fuel sector (FAS).
The group Air France-KLM would be the main buyer of the SAF produced by this new industrial facility. The production of hydrogen and synthetic fuels would take place in Loire-Atlantique, with local, regional and national commercial outlets. The success of this project is based on the commitment of the partners to explore the possibilities of industrial cooperationdrawing on their respective areas of expertise:
-The Holcim group, from the capture of biogenic CO2 from its cement plant located in Saint-Pierre-La-Cour in Mayenne (53), in line with its decarbonization plan for its production sites, integrating programs for the capture and recovery of CO2 emissions to enable the production of green e-fuels for aviation.
-IFPEN and Axens, drawing on their expertise in the development and integration of low-carbon fuel synthesis processes and their experience in sustainable aviation fuel production technologies.
-The EDF group, thanks to the development of its CO2-neutral electricity production fleet and the know-how developed both by its subsidiary Hynamics, which specializes in the production of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen by electrolysis of water , and by its internal engineering allowing the control of its major industrial projects.
The project ” take kair », one of the first industrial SAF production projects in France, will prevent the emission of more than one hundred kilotons of CO2 each year. It is therefore in line with the French government’s objectives for the decarbonization of air transport and will be a candidate for public financial support initiatives for the emergence of a French e-fuel sector, which is why it was presented in early 2023. at ADEME and the Ministries of Ecological Energy Transition and in charge of Industry and Transport. Subject to obtaining the necessary funding, the objective is to launch the construction of industrial pilots in 2026 for a first production phase in 2028.
A pioneer in the experimentation and use of sustainable aviation fuels, Air France-KLM is a partner in the project. The world’s largest buyer of SAF in 2022, the group is aiming to incorporate at least 10% sustainable fuel in all of its flights by 2030, beyond French and European regulatory obligations. The use of the FAS of the project ” take kair » will contribute to the achievement of this objective and to that more global of a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger kilometer by 2030 compared to 2019. By joining the project « take kair », Air France-KLM gives it the possibility of accessing the emerging SAF market in Europe under good conditions as well as the visibility and solidity that will be necessary for its financing.
