Shell Becomes One of the First Aviation Lubricants Suppliers to Tackle Lifecycle Carbon Emissions across its Product Portfolio

Shell Aviation has introduced a new lifecycle sustainability approach for its AeroShell aviation lubricants to avoid, reduce and then compensate for lifecycle carbon emissions, improving aircraft performance while helping customers meet their net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon emissions ambitions.

In alignment with Shell’s target to become a net zero-emissions energy business by 2050, AeroShell has confirmed its commitment to continue working to avoid and reduce carbon emissions by optimizing production and product design, embedding circularity into product packaging, improving the energy efficiency of facilities, and using renewable energy to reduce emissions across the supply chain. Shell will then purchase high-quality, independently verified carbon credits to compensate for carbon emissions which are not currently being avoided or reduced.

The new lifecycle sustainability approach will be included as standard across the full AeroShell product range, including turbine engine oils (TEOs), piston engine oils (PEOs), greases and fluids, for both the commercial airline and general aviation markets.

Vincent Begon, general manager aviation lubricants, Shell Aviation, said: “While SAF and fuel efficiency are rightly highlighted as key levers to decarbonize aviation, for the aviation sector to reach net zero it must address emissions from all aspects of aircraft operations in order to decarbonize – so this means lubricants too, even if they do represent a small proportion of aviation emissions when compared to jet fuel. It is a real point of pride that AeroShell will now support our customers in maintaining aircraft performance while taking action on decarbonization.”

“The fundamentals of lubricants mean that they are challenging to decarbonize, so a lot of effort has gone into developing this new proposition, including working with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), distributors and other key players across the lubricants industry. This is an important development for our aviation lubricants business, and one that we are confident will provide genuine value for our customers as we support them in decarbonizing.”

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, a Swiss company developing, producing and selling aircrafts to global customers – many of which are using AeroShell products – are in support of AeroShell’s new lifecycle sustainability approach.

Urs Thomann, director technologies, processes and sustainability, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd commented: “Shell has a strong track record of developing lubricants that deliver on safety and performance, so it is fantastic to see them continue to push the boundaries of the lubricants market, this time in the name of decarbonization.”

Across Shell’s entire global lubricants business the measures implemented to avoid and reduce carbon emissions include:

• Increasing the use of re-refined base oils.
• Using more recycled content in our product plastic packaging, in support of Shell’s ambition of reaching 30% PCR use by 2030.
• Taking out over 55 KTonnes CO₂e of Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions from our global lubricants operations, reducing our production step carbon intensity by more than 45% since 2016.
• Over 50% of the electricity imported to our Shell Global Lube Oil Blending Plants (LOBPs) now coming directly from renewable sources through the installation of solar PV panels and green power contracts, or indirectly using renewable energy credits (RECs).
• Installing solar PV panels at 11 of our lubricant blending plants, expecting to generate over 11,000 MWh of electricity annually, and can result in the avoidance of GHG emissions of over 6,000 tonnes CO₂e per year.
• Optimizing delivery networks to reduce road transport by 1.3 million miles since 2021.

This upgrade to the AeroShell offering marks the latest step in Shell Aviation’s efforts to decarbonize in alignment with Shell’s net zero-emissions target which includes increasing low and no carbon offering to customers.