Korean Air and Samsung E&A have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply chain in the US.
The airline and the engineering firm’s announcement forms part of their commitment to accelerate sustainable energy solutions in aviation. Samsung E&A will build on existing feedstock capacity and infrastructure in the US with its engineering expertise. Meanwhile, Korean Air has signed to become a SAF buyer, ensuring critical long-term demand. Other airlines including Delta and Air France have struck similar agreements to nurture the SAF industry as it takes flight.
Samsung E&A is considering participating in a SAF project that uses gasification–Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology. This second-generation SAF fuels converts abundant woody waste into synthetic liquid fuel, a significant advance on first-generation processes that use limited supplies of waste cooking oil.
On the partnership with Samsung E&A, a spokesperson for Korean Air commented:
This partnership will further contribute to the aviation industry’s Net Zero 2050 goal and enhance our ability to effectively navigate evolving global environmental regulations, including SAF mandates. Through proactive project participation and continuous cooperation, we aim to accelerate global SAF adoption and advance our commitment to sustainable aviation and ESG management.
A report from IATA earlier this year found that SAF production is currently on track to fall 100 million tonnes short of net-zero emissions targets. The air transport association emphasise that investing in technology, not feedstock, was critical to ramping up sustainability efforts. If successful, Korean Air and Samsung’s new partnership will contribute directly to addressing this issue.
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