The long-term cooperation on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) could enable Lufthansa Group and HCS Group to reduce carbon emissions in aviation as of early 2026. The fuel will be produced at the Haltermann Carless manufacturing site in Germany. SAF represents an important pillar on the path to decarbonisation in aviation.
Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 1. August 2023 – HCS Group and Lufthansa Group announced today that they have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) on the production and supply of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), planned to start in early 2026. The SAF will be produced based on waste biomass from the agricultural and forestry sector at the HCS Group manufacturing site in Speyer, Germany, operated by Haltermann Carless. SAF is a key element for more sustainable flying and thus for decarbonisation in aviation.
Katja Kleffmann, Head of Fuel Management Supply Lufthansa Group: “We are very pleased to support SAF ‘Made in Germany’, produced near the Lufthansa Group’s main hub Frankfurt. Sustainable Aviation Fuels are a core element of our sustainability strategy. The LoI with HCS Group reflects our commitment to develop new SAF markets and to increase the availability of SAF – in this case in a logistically particularly favorable location close to the airport.”
Henrik Krüpper, Chief Executive Officer HCS Group: “We are delighted to partner with the Lufthansa Group to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. SAF is the most important way to defossilise aviation quickly and for decades to come. As part of our corporate strategy and as a perpetual pioneer in the area of high-value hydrocarbons we are proud to be able to offer portfolio change solutions for our valued customers.”
Dr. Harald Dialer, Chief Commercial Officer HCS Group: “We are strategically positioned to support the aviation industry to meet the ambitious carbon reduction objectives and the high standards of the EU’s Fit-for-55 and ReFuelEU Aviation targets. Our SAF investment project based on the innovative Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ) technology allows us to become the first large-scale producer of biogenic SAF in Germany, with a market-relevant volume of 60,000 tons per year in the first step, and with certified supply chains from waste raw material to the tip-of-the-wing. We are pleased that we have gained the Lufthansa Group as strong partner to introduce sustainable kerosene ‘Made in Germany’.”
Clear strategies for a sustainable future
The LoI with HCS Group underpins the Lufthansa Group’s goal of driving forward the availability, market ramp-up and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels as a core element of its sustainability strategy. Today, the Lufthansa Group is one of the five largest SAF customers worldwide and is investing up to USD 250 million in the procurement of SAF for the coming years.
HCS Group’s corporate strategy is to provide sustainable hydrocarbon solutions to customers. The manufacturing center in Speyer, Germany, operated by the Haltermann Carless brand, is strategically located in the geographical center of Europe, on the Rhine river and in the vicinity of major aviation hubs, offering excellent prerequisites for supplying customers in Europe with SAF, compliant with Europe’s Renewable Energy Directive (“EU RED II Annex IX”).
SAF – the Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is the generic term for all aviation fuels that are produced without the use of fossil feedstocks such as crude oil and also meet sustainability criteria. There are various processes to produce SAF – both with biogenic and non-biogenic feedstocks. The current generation of SAF, which can save up to 80 percent CO2 compared to conventional kerosene, is mainly produced from biogenic residues, for example from waste-based biomass. In the long term, SAF can enable virtually CO2-neutral aviation.
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Lufthansa Group und HCS Group unterzeichnen Absichtserklärung zur Produktion und Lieferung von Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) ‚Made in Germany‘ ab 2026.
© Lufthansa Group |
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Die HCS Group beabsichtigt, ab Anfang 2026 am Haltermann Carless Produktionsstandort Speyer 60.000 Tonnen nachhaltigen Flugkraftstoff (Sustainable Aviation Fuel, SAF) und erneuerbare Kohlenwasserstoffe pro Jahr zu produzieren.
© HCS Group |
About HCS Group
HCS Group is one of leading international suppliers of high-value hydrocarbon solutions in Mobility, Life Science, Industrial and Energy. The company employs about 500 people and has production sites in Germany, the UK, France and the USA. The products are sold worldwide through the traditional brands Haltermann Carless, ETS Racing Fuels and Electrical Oil Services (EOS). With access to renewable resources from strategic partners, the Group drives the development of sustainable products making a contributing to defossilisation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2022, HCS Group received ISCC PLUS certification for the German sites in Hamburg and Speyer as well as ISCC EU certification for the production site in Harwich, UK. For more information visit: www.h-c-s-group.com
Media Contact:
Sandra Zirm
HCS Group GmbH – Edmund-Rumpler-Str. 3 – 60549 Frankfurt a.M. – Germany
+49 69 695 386-117 – pr@h-c-s-group.com
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