Regan Brown
Heathrow Airport is the largest airport in Europe and the most connected megahub in the world, servicing 239 destinations in 89 countries. It uses about 20 million litres of fuel per day, or 61.2 to 76.5 million barrels per year. Heathrow has committed to reducing its carbon footprint and has implemented several initiatives to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. These include investing in renewable electricity, transitioning to an electric fleet, and adopting Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is a fuel alternative to traditional fossil-based kerosene, utilising feedstocks such as used cooking oil and other waste materials. Heathrow has set a target of achieving 11% SAF use by 2030 and has incentivised airlines to adopt SAF through its SAF incentive programme.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Heathrow's Aviation Fuel Usage | 20-25 million litres per day |
| Heathrow's Aviation Fuel Usage in Barrels | 61.2-76.5 million barrels per year |
| Heathrow's SAF Incentive Scheme in £ | 71 million |
| Heathrow's SAF Incentive Scheme in Tonnes | 155,000 tonnes |
| Heathrow's SAF Target for 2025 in Tonnes | 187,000 tonnes |
| Heathrow's SAF Target for 2025 as % of Aviation Fuel | 3% |
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What You'll Learn
Heathrow's daily fuel usage is 20-25 million litres
Heathrow Airport is the largest airport in Europe and the most connected megahub in the world, connecting to 239 destinations in 89 countries. Heathrow uses an estimated 20-25 million litres of fuel per day, which equates to 61.2 to 76.5 million barrels of fuel per year. This figure varies depending on the season.
Heathrow, along with Gatwick and Manchester airports, is connected to the UKOP (UK Oil Pipeline) system. This system pumps jet fuel from various refineries, including Esso Fawley, Texaco Pembroke, and Shell Stanlow. Heathrow's fuel facilities consist of large holding tanks, which are believed to be located underground, either beneath the airport itself or off-site, supplied by pipelines.
Recognising the environmental impact of aviation fuel, Heathrow has implemented several initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and promote the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is a fuel alternative to traditional fossil-based kerosene, utilising feedstocks such as used cooking oil and other waste materials to cut lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 70%. Heathrow has committed to integrating SAF into its fuel supply, with a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In 2023, Heathrow's SAF incentive programme supported airlines in using around 70,000 tonnes of SAF, constituting approximately 1% of the airport's total fuel consumption. Heathrow has set an ambitious target of 11% SAF use by 2030, with a £71 million incentive scheme in place for airlines to transition to cleaner fuels. In 2024, the incentive scheme aimed to incentivise the use of up to 155,000 tonnes of SAF, reducing carbon emissions by over 340,000 tonnes. By 2025, Heathrow aims to allocate £86 million to airlines through the SAF incentive scheme, targeting 3% of aviation fuel used at the airport to be SAF, amounting to 187,000 tonnes.
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The UK Oil Pipeline (UKOP) system supplies Heathrow's fuel
Heathrow Airport consumes about 20 million litres of fuel per day, which amounts to 61.2 to 76.5 million barrels per year. This fuel is supplied to Heathrow through the United Kingdom Oil Pipeline (UKOP) system, which was opened in 1969. The UKOP is owned by a consortium of five shareholders: Essar Midlands Ltd, BP, Shell, Valero, and Total. It is administered and operated by the British Pipeline Agency (BPA), which is jointly owned by Shell and BP.
The UKOP system connects the two former Shell refineries of Stanlow in Cheshire and Shell Haven in the Thames Estuary. The Stanlow refinery in the north is the primary source of UKOP's products, with smaller volumes sourced from tankage at Shell Haven. The pipeline carries two grades of petrol, two grades of kerosene (including Jet A-1), and two grades of gas oil-diesel. It is patrolled by helicopter every two weeks to ensure safety and integrity.
The BPA manages pipeline and terminal assets across the UK and provides operational consultancy services worldwide. In addition to the UKOP system, they also operate the Walton-Gatwick system, which supplies aviation fuel to Gatwick Airport. This system was constructed and commissioned in 1984 and is the newest part of the UKOP network. It consists of a mainline pump station at Walton-on-Thames and 36 kilometres of 10-inch pipeline connecting Walton to Gatwick Airport in Sussex.
The UKOP system also includes a pipeline from Fawley refinery to Heathrow, constructed by Esso in 1963. This pipeline was the first commercial pipeline to be built in the United Kingdom, originally connecting the GPSS depot at Walton-on-Thames to Heathrow Airport. Today, it forms part of the UKOP (West London) network.
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Heathrow's SAF incentive programme
Heathrow Airport is a major international airport located in London, UK. It is one of the busiest airports in the world and, as such, consumes a significant amount of aviation fuel. Estimates place Heathrow's daily fuel consumption at around 20-25 million litres, which equates to roughly 61.2 to 76.5 million barrels per year.
Recognising the environmental impact of its operations, Heathrow has implemented several initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF is a type of fuel that has a lower carbon footprint than traditional fossil-based jet fuel and is produced from sustainable resources like waste oils and agricultural residues.
The programme has set ambitious targets for increasing SAF use at Heathrow. In 2023, the programme supported the use of approximately 70,000 tonnes of SAF, representing about 1% of the total fuel used at the airport. For 2024, the target is 155,000 tonnes, and in 2025, Heathrow aims to achieve 3% SAF use, or 187,000 tonnes. This is expected to result in a significant reduction of over 500,000 tonnes in lifecycle carbon emissions from flights.
Heathrow's efforts align with the UK's SAF mandate, which comes into effect in 2025, and the airport's broader sustainability goals. By targeting an 11% SAF use by 2030, Heathrow is committed to reducing its environmental impact and contributing to global climate change goals.
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Heathrow's SAF use in 2023
Heathrow Airport has been championing the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to reduce its carbon footprint and cut CO2 emissions. SAF is a fuel alternative to traditional fossil-based kerosene, utilising feedstocks such as used cooking oil, waste fats, crops, agricultural residues, forestry waste, and other waste materials.
In 2023, Heathrow's SAF use reduced fuel carbon emissions by over 90% over its lifecycle. The airport targeted the use of SAF to make up 3% of its total aviation fuel used, amounting to 187,000 tonnes. However, due to SAF supply delays and a faster-than-expected pandemic recovery, Heathrow achieved slightly less SAF usage than targeted for the year. The exact amount of SAF used in 2023 is not publicly available, but it is estimated to be around 1% of the total fuel used at the airport, which equates to about 70,000 tonnes of SAF.
Heathrow has been incentivising airlines to switch to SAF by halving the price gap between kerosene and its cleaner alternative, making SAF more commercially attractive. The airport has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and has published its 'Nature Positive Plan', outlining its efforts to reduce its impacts on nature.
On 28 November 2023, Virgin Atlantic operated a historic flight from Heathrow to New York JFK. This was the world's first transatlantic flight on a Boeing 787 with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, powered entirely by SAF. This significant milestone demonstrates Heathrow's leadership in SAF adoption and its commitment to sustainable aviation practices.
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Heathrow's commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050
Heathrow Airport is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. With thousands of companies operating from or supplying goods and services to Heathrow, the airport aims to use its influence to encourage others to adopt ethical, low-carbon, and sustainable practices. Heathrow has set ambitious goals for itself and is committed to doing the right thing across a range of issues, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters.
Heathrow's plan is centred on two key goals for 2030: reducing absolute carbon emissions compared to 2019, its peak carbon year, and cutting emissions from flights, which make up 95% of its carbon footprint. To achieve these goals, Heathrow is promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and improving conventional aircraft. SAF is a fuel alternative to traditional fossil-based kerosene, utilising feedstocks such as used cooking oil and other waste materials. It can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 70%. Heathrow's SAF incentive scheme targets 3% of aviation fuel used at the airport to be SAF by 2025, amounting to 187,000 tonnes.
Additionally, Heathrow has published its 'Nature Positive Plan', demonstrating its commitment to understanding and reducing its impacts on nature. The airport also acknowledges the importance of managing noise and its negative impacts on health and is one of the first airports worldwide to set a goal of tackling noise disturbance. Heathrow is committed to supporting a nature-positive transition and has launched a Giving Back Programme with three core pillars: community, employment, and the environment.
To achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Heathrow is also focusing on initiatives beyond aviation fuel. On the ground, Heathrow plans to reduce emissions by enabling passengers and staff to access the airport more sustainably, supporting a net-zero supply chain, and replacing airport vehicles with zero-carbon alternatives. Heathrow is connected to the UKOP (UK Oil Pipeline) system, which pumps jet fuel from various refineries. The airport also aims to better understand and reduce its impacts on nature, addressing the global biodiversity and climate crises.
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Frequently asked questions
Heathrow uses about 20 million litres of fuel a day, or 20-25 million litres per day depending on the season.
Heathrow is connected to the UKOP (UK Oil Pipeline) system, which pumps jet fuel from various refineries.
According to one source, it takes 90 minutes to fill up a 747 for a transatlantic flight.
Heathrow has introduced a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) incentive scheme to encourage airlines to switch to SAF, which emits 70% less greenhouse gas emissions than fossil jet fuel. Heathrow has also invested in renewable electricity and transitioned most of its vehicles to an electric fleet.
Heathrow has set an ambition of 11% SAF by 2030, with a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
