OMV and Microsoft accelerate decarbonisation of corporate air travel

Austria’s OMV and Microsoft, announced the signing of an agreement to procure Sustainable Aviation Fuel certificates (SAFc).

Since March 2022, OMV has been producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel by co-processing sustainable and regional raw materials, specifically used cooking oil, at its Schwechat refinery in Austria. Compared to conventional jet fuel, SAF contributes to a reduction of CO2 emissions of more than 80%. OMV has already signed several MoU’s and offtake agreements with international and national air carriers.

Now, OMV is taking the next step. The newly developed SAF Business solutions are tailored to help organisations accomplish their Scope 3 indirect emission reduction goals, such as from air travel and/or the air transportation of goods. In cooperation with the independent global organization RSB, an innovative chain-of-custody model is piloted that allows OMV to reliably and verifiably transfer the environmental benefits of SAF in the form of SAF certificate. This enables Microsoft to reach its decarbonisation targets (Scope 3) and further establish a credible, sustainable corporate air travel and supply chain logistics.

Martijn van Koten, OMV Executive Vice President Fuels & Feedstock said: “Sustainable Aviation Fuel is a strategic key pillar of OMV’s strategy 2030. Now we are taking the next step in decarbonizing air travel and the air transportation of goods. We are proud to expand our Sustainable Aviation Fuel growth path together with RSB and to support corporate customers like Microsoft, to achieve their sustainability goals.”

The pilot will be guided by the RSB Book & Claim System – a set of principles and online tracking system that has been developed through a global, multi-stakeholder process to ensure that the use of this chain of custody model has full traceability and credibility, as well as a demonstrable climate impact.

Elena Schmidt, RSB’s Executive Director, added: “RSB is proud to collaborate with OMV and Microsoft to unlock the full potential of book and claim to reach decarbonisation targets and to demonstrate demand for sustainable fuels to help grow supply. Trust is the centerpiece of book and claim, and delivering a trustworthy solution built on genuine global, multi-stakeholder dialogue is fundamental for the RSB. We are thrilled to be working with OMV and Microsoft to demonstrate in a credible way that book and claim can help meet climate goals and ensure real in-sector transformation.”

In 2020, Microsoft announced that it will be a carbon negative, water positive, zero waste company that protects ecosystems – all by 2030. Microsoft has made progress towards these goals, including investing in carbon removal, adopting a circular approach for materials management, increasing water access, and protecting more land than used.

“Microsoft is pleased to work with OMV to procure Sustainable Aviation Fuel certificates (SAFc) as an integral component of our work to reduce our business travel and supply chain logistics emissions,” said Katie Ross, director of carbon reduction strategy & market development at Microsoft. “This collaboration underscores our dedication to reducing carbon emissions in the aviation sector. Together with OMV and RSB, we are accelerating our vision for a more sustainable future, fostering SAF production and contributing to a low-carbon economy.”