To meet the growing demand for SAF from airlines, DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark has now established a large inventory of SAF as the first in Denmark. On September 10th, a tanker delivered a record quantity of SAF to a tank at Oiltanking Copenhagen’s storage facility at Prøvestenen, which will now serve as the base for stable supplies to stakeholders in Danish aviation industry.
With the establishment of a large-scale SAF inventory in Denmark, DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark is taking another step to address the increasing demand for SAF.
Well before the EU’s newly proposed SAF blending mandate for fuel supplied to EU airports from 2025 to fly with an increasing percentage of SAF, the Danish aviation industry is already moving ahead on its own initiative. This proactive approach has generated a markedly increased interest and demand for SAF, paving the way for the establishment of a large, onshore SAF inventory in Denmark.
“We’ve been considering establishing a dedicated Danish SAF supply base on a large scale for a couple of years. Since our first collaboration in 2021 with Sønderborg Airport for SAF supplies on the domestic route to Copenhagen, progress has been swift. Subsequently, Billund Airport has joined, and most recently Copenhagen Airport, via the SAF agreement we’ve entered with Air Greenland,” Sune Petersen, Head of Sustainability & Strategy at DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark, explains.
Therefore, in partnership with Oiltanking Copenhagen, the owner of the tank facilities at Prøvestenen, another step has now been taken in the efforts to strengthen the infrastructure and supply of SAF to the Danish market.
“From Oiltanking Copenhagen’s tanks at Prøvestenen, we are not only able to send SAF directly into the pipelines to Copenhagen Airport, but also efficiently reach other airports through our existing supply network. This will facilitate the availability of SAF for all parties as a step in the aviation sector’s transition to more sustainable forms of energy,” Sune Petersen says.
Prøvestenen plays a crucial role in the region’s energy supply
Oiltanking Copenhagen’s storage terminal at Prøvestenen is connected by pipeline to the Denmark’s largest airport. According to Karl Henrik Dahl, CEO of Oiltanking Copenhagen, the storage terminal, along with the port facilities at Prøvestenen operated by Copenhagen Malmö Port, are fundamental for the air traffic to and from Copenhagen. Simultaneously, its extensive capacity and connection to the entire energy infrastructure place Prøvestenen in a central role in the transition from fossil fuels, a process already underway.
“Establishing a SAF inventory directly connected to Copenhagen Airport is a good example that illustrates how well-functioning the existing infrastructure in Denmark is, and its capability to support the aviation industry’s need for new types of fuel. In a few years’ time, Denmark will need to be capable of handling significant volumes of various liquid fuels, such as PtX-based fuel. Our infrastructure at Prøvestenen forms a solid and scalable foundation for us to ensure stable energy supplies across Denmark throughout the energy transition. By leveraging our capabilities here at Oiltanking Copenhagen, we collectively address the challenges of the energy transition with our customers. We will continue to innovate to be able to provide more sustainable energy solutions throughout this transformation,” he elaborated.
According to Sune Petersen, the recent investments in increasing the access to SAF in Denmark demonstrate how gradually more sustainable aviation fuels can best achieve the uptake that both the industry and policymakers want.
“To effectively and affordably support a more sustainable aviation sector, we need to handle SAF deliveries on a very large scale. This can best be done by utilising the existing infrastructure. So, we need to move away from the notion of pouring SAF into each individual aircraft on a given route. It’s about mass balancing, where airlines’ purchase of SAF contributes to the overall fuel supply, gradually displacing fossil jet fuel. This applies regardless of whether it’s SAF made from bio-waste or PtX-based SAF, which can be produced in much larger quantities and even more sustainably using renewable electricity from wind turbines or solar energy and biogenic CO2,” Sune Petersen says.
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*The SAF currently available for aviation is exclusively made from bio-waste, such as used cooking oil.”
About DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark:
DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark is a joint venture between DCC Holding Denmark and Shell’s global aviation fuel business. The company manages all logistics and supplies of Shell aviation fuel to nine Danish airports, serving as the largest independent fuel supplier and advisor to aviation in Denmark. Learn more at shellaviation.dk.
About Oiltanking Copenhagen A/S:
Oiltanking Copenhagen A/S is part of the Mabanaft Group, a leading independent integrated energy company headquartered in Hamburg, with a total storage capacity of 462 thousand cubic meters. Oiltanking Copenhagen A/S is situated at Prøvestenen. The company leases storage capacity and provides related services to its customers, primarily supplying jet fuel, mainly through a pipeline to Kastrup Airport. Learn more at mabanaft.com.
