Masdar, Tadweer Group sign deal to build Abu Dhabi’s first waste-to-aviation fuel plant

Masdar and Tadweer Group have signed a Joint Development Agreement to develop Abu Dhabi’s first commercial-scale waste-to-sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project.

The planned facility will process about 500,000 tonnes of waste annually to produce SAF, using a hybrid system that combines renewable energy-powered electrolysis to generate green hydrogen and waste gasification to produce syngas, later converted into aviation fuel through established chemical processes.

Masdar Chief Executive Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said the project will strengthen the UAE’s role in sustainable aviation and contribute to reducing emissions from a key sector of the economy. Tadweer Group Managing Director and CEO Ali Al Dhaheri said the partnership reflects the company’s goal of turning waste into a resource and advancing clean energy innovation.

Once operational, the plant is expected to serve regional markets and support the decarbonisation of an aviation sector that contributed more than 18 percent to the UAE’s GDP in 2023, according to IATA data. SAF can cut lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent compared with conventional jet fuel.

The project supports several national strategies, including the UAE General Policy for SAF, the National Hydrogen Strategy and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Initiative. It also aligns with Tadweer’s target to divert 80 percent of Abu Dhabi’s waste from landfills by 2030.