Royal Air Maroc launches its first carbon emission-free flight

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and Africa CMDC launched the African continent's first zero-carbon emission flight powered by eco-friendly aviation fuel, setting a precedent for the Kingdom of Morocco's voluntary efforts to switch to renewable energy sources with the aim of gradually eliminating dependence and consumption of renewable energy. fossil fuels.

Rabat left a distinctive mark by participating in the COP28 event in the Emirates, with a high-level delegation headed by Princess Lalla Salma. “The aircraft, powered by a Boeing 787, landed on Saturday at 16:30 at Dubai's Blaise Diani Airport, in time to hold the COP28 climate conference in Dubai,” a joint statement from Royal Air Maroc and Africa CMDC said.

The statement explains that the Dreamliner consumed about nine tons of general aviation fuel, 40% of the volume needed for the flight. The CO2 emissions from the rest of the conventional fuel used on this flight (i.e. 60% of the fuel volume) will be offset by Royal Air Maroc within the framework of a voluntary carbon offset program administered by the Mohammed VI Fund.

Abdelhamid Addou, President and CEO of RAM, confirmed: “We are proud to launch the first sustainable aviation fuel powered flight connecting two African countries. It is part of an effort to contribute to the development to reduce the CO2 exposure of the sector.” "This reflects our commitment to accelerate the process of decarbonization of Moroccan air transport and we remain committed as a key leader in the aviation sector to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050," he added.

The use of sustainable aviation fuels is a key mechanism to decarbonize the air transport sector in medium and long-haul flights. This sustainable fuel is produced by converting used vegetable oil, reducing carbon dioxide emissions throughout its life cycle by up to 90% compared to alternative fossil fuels.

The Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco, Leila Benali, confirmed that King Mohamed VI's speech at the World Climate Summit on Saturday was an opportunity to highlight the challenges faced by the Alawite country when assuming the presidency of the UN (United Nations Organization). He explained that the participation is an opportunity to share Morocco's experience in energy transition and sustainable development, focusing on projects that the country is proud of and that are currently being completed.

The foreign delegations showed great interest in the ongoing projects, in particular those of decarbonization of industry, desalination of seawater, renewable energy sources and Morocco's first entry into the liquefied natural gas market. Royal Air Maroc has been working for several years to reduce its environmental footprint, in particular through the renewal of its fleet and the progressive integration of new-generation aircraft such as the Dreamliner. These measures included, in the fuel saving program, allowed Royal Air Maroc to reduce fuel consumption by 15% and CO2 emissions by 10%.

Thanks to these measures, Royal Air Maroc received the “IEnvA” certification, an environmental management system developed by the International Air Transport Association that certifies compliance with environmental obligations in 2023. Through innovation and investment in the use of sustainable aviation fuels, the Royal Air Maroc Group aims to strengthen its leadership while contributing to the development of sustainable solutions.

Sustainable jet fuels, alternative aviation fuels, are produced from a variety of totally or partially renewable resources, such as biomass, algae, agricultural or food waste and even hydrogen. Targeted investment, regulatory oversight and government support mechanisms are among the drivers of the industry's transition to sustainable aviation fuels.