Starting in mid-April 2025, DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark has taken another step forward in its SAF partnership with Vestas.
On 23 April, Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas and helicopter operator NHV commenced a multi-year contract to support Vestas’ crew change operations to and from the He Dreiht offshore wind farm, located in the German sector of the North Sea – with a minimum of 40% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) powering NHV’s Airbus H175 helicopters.
This collaboration also marks the first-time use of SAF at Esbjerg Airport. Through this initiative, Vestas adds Esbjerg to the growing list of Danish airports where SAF is now available as an alternative to conventional jet fuel. Copenhagen, Billund, Aalborg, and Sønderborg airports already have experience integrating SAF into their fuel infrastructure on a larger scale.
For this project, SAF is supplied via a temporary, dedicated, segregated setup established by DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark. This setup ensures full control and safety over the high SAF blend, which comes close to the currently permitted limit of 50% when blended with conventional Jet A-1.
The Esbjerg initiative builds on Vestas’ earlier SAF deployment in 2024, which involved helicopter flights between Roskilde Airport and the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea.
Lisa Ekstrand, Vice President and Head of Sustainability at Vestas, commented on the impact of the collaboration:
“Integrating sustainability into every aspect of our operations is central to Vestas’ vision of becoming a global leader in sustainable energy solutions. Partnerships like this with NHV enable us to advance this agenda in the coming years.”
SAF is an alternative aviation fuel produced from waste biomass, including used cooking oil. When SAF is used in its neat form (100% SAF), it can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional fossil-based jet fuel.
