S.A with another first

Sasol is doing big things, they might not be the biggest player in the oil business globally, but they certainly can punch above their weight. They've had their woes as far as fines by the competition commision, and recently dropped the Springboks, sponsorship. I'm Guessing the money saved from their Springbok sponsorship, was put put to good use.

 Sasol has flown the world’s first passenger aircraft using the company’s own-developed and internationally approved 100% synthetic jet fuel. Sasol took to the skies with the world’s first fully synthetic jet fuel flight on Tuesday, 21st of September 2010.

Sanctioned by the global aviation fuel specification authorities the fuel, produced by Sasol’s proprietary Coal to Liquids (CTL) process, is the only first fully synthetic fuel to be approved for use in commercial airliners. This marks significant development in the adoption of clean burning alternate fuels for the aviation industry.

The fuel is the product of over 15 years of work, driven by South African scientists within South Africa, using home-grown technology. The historic flights, from Lanseria Airport in Gauteng to Cape Town, also kicked-off Sasol’s 60th birthday celebrations and staged fly-pasts at the opening of the Africa Aerospace and Defense (AAD) 2010
exhibition, at Cape Town’s Ysterplaat Air Force Base.

Speaking from the air force base, where he landed on one of the inaugural flights, Sasol Chief executive, Pat Davies said, “The approval by the international aviation fuel authorities, of this product, recognises the need to develop aviation fuel from feedstocks other than crude-oil, in order to meet the world’s growing needs”.

Extensive testing has been conducted to ensure that no differences will be experienced if flying on this fuel, other than the lower soot and sulphur turbine-out emissions, that result from the virtually zero sulphur. This fuel is entirely safe and has successfully completed stringent testing with local and international authorities. The fuel, however, is currently not commercially available and it is therefore not possible to speculate on pricing –
should it enter the market.

The twin challenges of promoting economic development, while also delivering environmentally sustainable energy solutions, can only be met through innovation. Sasol says it’s committed to ongoing research to deliver sustainable alternative energy solutions to meet the world’s transportation needs.

The international approval of this fully synthetic jet fuel, by UK and US aviation authorities for military and commercial use, is an indication that important progress has been made in both the technical development and the governance arena.

L.G

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