Repsol and Ryanair have announced a strategic alliance designed to quicken the adoption of renewable fuels in commercial aviation. The partnership positions both organizations as active contributors to cutting emissions from air travel and creates a collaborative framework to push sustainable mobility forward in the years ahead.
Under the agreement, Repsol will supply Ryanair with up to 155,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from 2025 through 2030. This volume could fuel more than 28,000 flights on routes like Dublin to Madrid and is projected to reduce around 490,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over the period. Repsol noted that SAF, while key to cutting aviation emissions, still represents only a small share of global fuel use. Scaling SAF is essential to a meaningful decarbonization path for air transport, according to the company.
Valero Marín, Repsol’s General Manager for Customers, described the Ryanair collaboration as a decisive step in the company’s renewable fuel strategy and its broader role in the aviation sector. He stressed that the deal strengthens Repsol’s position as a multi-energy company pursuing a net-zero future.
Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson emphasized SAF’s pivotal role in the airline’s Pathway to Net Zero plan and its objective to source 12.5 percent SAF by 2030. The agreement with Repsol is framed as a way to secure access to 15 percent of that target, reinforcing Ryanair’s ongoing sustainability efforts as the group works toward increasing annual passenger numbers to 225 million by 2026.
Both parties describe renewable fuels as essential across transportation, including aviation, as part of a joint aim to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century. The alliance supports Repsol’s broader mission to expand SAF and other renewable energy solutions as part of its transition to a lower-carbon economy.
Strategic alliances like this are central to the broader sustainability roadmaps of both organizations. The collaboration highlights ongoing efforts to promote SAF use and industry-wide adoption across European and international networks, reinforcing momentum behind renewable fuel programs in aviation.
Alongside the Ryanair agreement, Repsol has pursued multiple partnerships to advance SAF deployment. Alliances with Iberia and other aviation stakeholders promote biofuel produced from waste streams for long-haul operations. These initiatives illustrate a wider push to diversify energy sources in the transport sector and reduce lifecycle emissions from air travel.
Repsol has also engaged with military and civil aviation partners to trial renewables in flight operations, demonstrating practical SAF applications in real-world settings. These efforts are complemented by collaborations with established aviation service providers to broaden the reach of sustainable fuels within Spain and beyond, helping create a path toward greater SAF adoption on regional and international scales.
Looking ahead, Repsol plans to establish its first advanced biofuel facility in Spain, in Cartagena in the Region of Murcia. The facility will use waste-based feedstocks and aims to deliver substantial annual renewable fuel output that feeds into the company’s broader forecast for SAF capacity growth in 2025 and beyond. The overarching goal is to achieve meaningful yearly volumes contributing to the company’s net-zero portfolio by 2050.