Kenya Airways and Rubis in Sh10.6b green jet fuel refinery pact

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Kenya Airways (KQ) and Rubis Energy Kenya have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) refinery on the African continent.

The project, to be based in Nairobi, establishes a framework for the joint engineering, financing, and operation of a facility designed to produce low-carbon fuel from local waste feedstocks. The agreement was finalised in the presence of President William Ruto and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi. 

The refinery will utilise Dragonfly’s modular technology to process primary feedstocks, including used cooking oils, waste animal fats, and other vegetable oils.

By locating the facility near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the partnership aims to integrate production directly with existing infrastructure.

The refinery is expected to have a production capacity of 32,000 tonnes, with a project investment estimated at between €60 million and €70 million (Sh9 billion and Sh10.6 billion).

George Kamal, acting group CEO of Kenya Airways, said the project addresses the urgent need to decarbonise the aviation sector. 

“The expansion of air transport is linked to a growing share of global greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport consumes 2.9 million litres of jet fuel every day, an amount equal to filling the tanks of 52,727 family cars,” said Kamal. 

He said switching to SAF is the most commercially viable, technologically mature, and low-risk solution to significantly decarbonise aviation in the world today. 

“While we currently depend entirely on imports, this refinery allows us to produce a sustainable, local version of that fuel. Sustainable, renewable biogenic fuel is the optimal route for airlines to reach the goal of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Kamal.

The ICAO plans for SAF in Africa by 2030 focus on establishing robust regulatory frameworks, building production capacity, and fostering regional partnerships to achieve a five per cent emission reduction from cleaner energy by 2030, driven by the African Union’s SAF/LCAF Continental Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2030). 

Jean-Christian Bergeron, co-managing partner of Rubis and CEO of Rubis Énergie, said the company’s involvement is consistent with Rubis Énergie’s roadmap to deliver low-carbon energy solutions around the world.