Sustainable Aviation
Taxibots Cut Airport Emissions Through Hybrid-Electric Ground Operations
Airbus-led Project HERON advances hybrid-electric Taxibots for sustainable airport taxiing, with trials at Schiphol and CDG targeting 50% fuel reduction.
Taxibots and Project HERON: Pioneering Sustainable Ground Operations in Aviation
As the aviation industry intensifies its efforts to reduce environmental impact, innovations like the Taxibot are gaining prominence. These hybrid-electric, pilot-controlled tugs are designed to tow aircraft between gates and runways without the need to power up the aircraft’s engines. This advancement not only reduces fuel consumption but also cuts down on emissions and noise pollution, addressing some of the most pressing sustainability challenges in airport ground operations.
At the heart of this innovation is Project HERON (Highly Efficient gReen OperatioNs), a European initiative coordinated by Airbus and supported by 24 partners across 10 countries. As HERON nears its conclusion in October 2025, the focus is shifting from development to deployment, with Taxibots undergoing trials at major international airports. The project aligns with broader goals under the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking to modernize air traffic management and reduce aviation’s environmental footprint.
How Taxibots Work and Why They Matter
The Taxibot system represents a significant shift in how aircraft are maneuvered on the ground. Rather than using their engines, which consume substantial amounts of fuel and emit pollutants even during short taxiing phases, aircraft are towed by a hybrid-electric tug. This approach minimizes unnecessary fuel burn and associated emissions, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
Technically, the Taxibot attaches to the aircraft’s nose landing gear, lifting the nose wheel onto a pivotable platform. Once connected, the pilot uses the aircraft’s tiller and brakes to steer, while the tug provides the propulsion. The aircraft engines are only activated just before takeoff, significantly reducing the time they are running on the ground. The system requires minor modifications to the aircraft’s avionics, which are already certified and available for Airbus single-aisle aircraft.
Airports like Amsterdam Schiphol, New York JFK, New Delhi, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Brussels are participating in ongoing trials. Schiphol, in particular, is a key testbed due to its long taxi distances and its goal to become an emissions-free airport by 2030. Schiphol’s internal studies suggest that widespread use of Taxibots could reduce ground fuel consumption by 50%, with potential savings of up to 85% for longer taxi legs.
“Airports are actively pursuing solutions to reduce CO₂ emissions from ground operations, which is in line with the broader initiatives of HERON.”, Benjamin Tessier, HERON Coordinator and Vehicle Systems Architect at Airbus
From Prototype to Deployment
The journey of the Taxibot began with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which holds the trademark. In 2009, IAI partnered with TLD, a French manufacturer of airport ground support equipment, to produce the prototype in France. Since then, the technology has undergone significant refinement, culminating in its integration into Airbus’s sustainability and innovation portfolios.
Today, the Taxibot is certified for use with Airbus single-aisle aircraft and is available as a retrofit kit. Airlines like easyJet are preparing for trials, with Schiphol Airport as a key location due to its infrastructure and sustainability goals. The trials are not only technical tests but also operational experiments aimed at understanding how best to integrate the system into daily airport routines.
Efforts are underway to train pilots in using the Taxibot system effectively. Since pilots control the tug during taxiing, familiarity with the system is essential for safety and efficiency. Additionally, airport infrastructure is being adapted to facilitate the connection and disconnection of the tugs, minimizing delays and ensuring smooth operations.
HERON’s Broader Impact and Future Developments
Project HERON is more than just about Taxibots. It encompasses a suite of innovations aimed at optimizing both ground and air operations. These include advanced air traffic control tools that support ADS-C EPP standards for trajectory-based operations, single-engine taxiing procedures, and improved runway management techniques to reduce emissions and noise.
HERON’s consortium includes major stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem such as Aéroports de Paris, Air France, Brussels Airport Company, EUROCONTROL, Leonardo, Lufthansa, and Schiphol Airport. This collaborative approach ensures that innovations like the Taxibot are developed with input from all sectors of the industry, increasing the likelihood of successful adoption.
Looking ahead, Airbus and its partners plan to introduce a fully electric version of the Taxibot by 2026. A widebody version is also under development, which would extend the benefits of the technology to larger aircraft. These advancements support broader industry goals for decarbonization and align with regulatory trends pushing for reduced airport emissions.
Economic and Environmental Considerations
While specific cost data for the Taxibot system is limited, the economic rationale is compelling. Reduced fuel consumption translates into lower operating costs for airlines, especially in the context of volatile fuel prices and increasing carbon taxation. Additionally, quieter ground operations may reduce noise-related restrictions and improve relations with communities near airports.
Environmental benefits are equally significant. By reducing CO₂ and NOₓ emissions during taxiing, the Taxibot contributes to improved air quality around airports. This is particularly important for urban airports where pollution levels are closely monitored and regulated.
Moreover, the technology supports airlines in meeting their own sustainability targets. As environmental reporting and compliance become more stringent, tools like the Taxibot offer measurable ways to reduce emissions and showcase commitment to green aviation.
Conclusion
The Taxibot is a notable example of how targeted innovation can address specific pain points in the aviation ecosystem. By eliminating the need for engine-powered taxiing, it offers a practical solution to reduce emissions, fuel consumption, and noise pollution on the ground. As Project HERON concludes, the groundwork has been laid for broader adoption of this technology.
With trials underway at major airports and plans for future versions already in motion, the Taxibot could become a standard feature of sustainable airport operations. Its development and deployment reflect a growing industry consensus around the need for decarbonization and operational efficiency, positioning the technology as a key player in aviation’s green transition.
FAQ
What is a Taxibot?
A Taxibot is a hybrid-electric, pilot-controlled ground tug that tows aircraft between gates and runways without the aircraft engines running.
How does the Taxibot reduce emissions?
By towing the aircraft without using its engines, the Taxibot significantly lowers CO₂ and NOₓ emissions and reduces noise pollution during taxiing.
Where is the Taxibot currently being tested?
Trials are ongoing at Amsterdam Schiphol, New York JFK, New Delhi, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Brussels airports.
Is the Taxibot certified for use?
Yes, the necessary modifications for Airbus single-aisle aircraft are certified and available as retrofit kits.
What’s next for the Taxibot?
A fully electric version and a widebody-compatible model are under development, with broader adoption expected post-2025.
Sources: Airbus, SESAR Joint Undertaking, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Israel Aerospace Industries, TLD Group
Sustainable Aviation
DHL Express Starts SAF Flights at Paris CDG With TotalEnergies Fuel
DHL Express signed a SAF deal with TotalEnergies covering 5 million liters in its first year for flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle.
DHL Express has signed a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply agreement with TotalEnergies whose initial phase covers 5 million liters over one year, for aircraft departing its hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). It is DHL Express’s first SAF use in France. The first SAF-powered DHL aircraft left CDG on November 9, 2026, the day the deal was announced.
In a press release dated November 9, 2026, issued from Bonn and Paris, DHL said it is the first express logistics provider to use SAF at CDG. The move coincides with the fifth anniversary of the Paris hub. DHL expects emission reductions of about 11,800 metric tons of CO2e a year in France, with the SAF flights running from CDG to its air hubs in Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan and London.
What the Paris agreement covers
DHL describes the deal as a first SAF supply agreement “over 5 million liters” for DHL Express air operations, and said its initial phase covers 5 million liters over the course of one year for aircraft departing the Paris CDG hub. DHL said the SAF is made from waste and residual materials such as used cooking oil, and works in existing aircraft and airport infrastructure without modifications. Compared with fossil jet fuel, it can cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by about 80%, depending on feedstock and production method.
The volumes will also be included in GoGreen Plus, DHL’s book-and-claim offering, which assigns emission reductions to customers even when their shipments do not physically travel on SAF. DHL said customers can use it to reduce their Scope 3 emissions. SHEIN signed a GoGreen Plus agreement with DHL Express in March 2026 to use SAF supplied by DHL for its international express air freight.
Travis Cobb, executive vice president of global network operations and aviation at DHL Express, pointed to the share of SAF already used in DHL’s own fleet:
“In 2025, SAF already accounted for 10% of the aviation fuel used across DHL’s own aircraft fleet”
Philippe Prétat, CEO of DHL Express France, said the opening of the Paris hub in 2021 marked a major milestone, and that SAF use shows that strong logistics performance and a lower carbon footprint can go together. Mathieu Soulas, director of new mobilities at TotalEnergies, said “Sustainable Aviation Fuels are a key lever for reducing aviation emissions today.”
How the deal compares with DHL’s SAF targets
At 5 million liters, the Paris deal is small next to the supply agreements DHL Express has signed elsewhere. In March 2022, DHL announced deals with bp and Neste for more than 800 million liters of SAF until 2026, which it described at the time as among the largest SAF deals in aviation. In May 2026, DHL Express signed an offtake agreement with SAF One for 25,000 metric tons of unblended SAF a year from a plant in Bahrain, with production planned for 2028.
DHL’s stated aim is to raise SAF use to 30 percent by 2030, a goal it restated in May 2026 and that also appears in the Sustainability Roadmap it cited in March 2022. DHL said in March 2026 that SAF accounted for about 10% of fuel consumption in its dedicated air fleet in 2025, up from 3.5% in 2024.
TotalEnergies has been expanding its SAF output in France. In a June 16, 2025 release, the company said it expects to produce more than half a million tons of SAF a year from 2028, to cover the increase in the European SAF blending mandate, set at 6% for 2030. It said its Grandpuits biorefinery would have capacity for 230,000 tons a year of SAF in 2026, and that SAF coprocessing had begun at its Normandy platform. The company said it supplies SAF-blended jet fuel to airports including Paris-Le Bourget, Bordeaux and Toulouse, and that Air France-KLM had signed a deal for up to 1.5 million tons of SAF over ten years.
The Paris CDG hub at five years
DHL opened the CDG hub in 2021 with a EUR170 million investment, which it describes as its largest in France since entering the country in 1976. The site occupies a 91,000-square-meter plot with 34,000 square meters of operational space, and its sorting system handles up to 38,000 parcels and documents per hour. The hub runs 24/7 and employs 760 people.
The AirPro Atlas lists 72,029,407 passengers at CDG in 2025.
DHL also cited ground-side measures in France. It said all of DHL Express France’s owned light commercial vehicles are electric, that it serves 55 French city centers with low-emission delivery modes, and that this supports DHL Group’s target of two-thirds last-mile electrification by 2030.
Sustainable Aviation
Singapore Airlines Signs SAF Offtake Deal with Aether Fuels
Singapore Airlines commits to buying SAF from Aether Fuels’ Project Beacon facility in Singapore, due online in 2028.
Singapore Airlines (SQ) has finalized a firm purchase agreement to offtake next-generation Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Aether Fuels, becoming the first carrier to commit to the upcoming Project Beacon production facility in Singapore.
Announced in a joint press release on 28 October 2026, the agreement transitions a previous memorandum of understanding into a binding contract. The deal secures future fuel volumes to support the airline’s target of replacing 5 percent of its total fuel consumption with SAF by 2030.
Transitioning from framework to firm commitment
The 28 October 2026 announcement builds on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two companies on 4 February 2025. That initial framework outlined the airline’s intention to procure neat SAF for a five-year period, with an option to extend for an additional five years, once Aether commenced commercial production.
While the companies confirmed the transition to a firm offtake agreement, the exact fuel volumes and financial terms were not disclosed in the release.
Project Beacon and the Aurora technology
Aether Fuels, a climate technology firm incubated and funded in 2022 by Temasek-backed deep tech venture firm Xora, officially launched Project Beacon on 11 November 2025. The project is a partnership with Aster, a joint venture between Indonesian chemical and infrastructure company Chandra Asri and commodities trader Glencore.
The commercial-scale SAF facility will be located at Aster’s refining hub on Pulau Bukom in Asia-Pacific in Singapore. Aster acquired this site from Shell to develop a dedicated sustainable fuels footprint. Construction of the facility is scheduled to commence in 2026.
Once operational in 2028, Project Beacon is projected to produce 50 barrels per day, equating to approximately 2,000 tons of SAF annually. The plant will utilize Aether’s proprietary Aurora technology to produce Fischer-Tropsch Synthesized Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK). According to Aether Fuels, this pathway is expected to deliver a minimum 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
De-risking commercial scale-up
The firm offtake agreement follows a critical technical milestone for Aether Fuels. On 29 September 2026, the company announced the successful operation of a fully integrated demonstration line at RTI International in North America.
The 2.5 barrel-per-day system combined Aether’s Aurora Tri-Converter and Upgrader units with an existing Fischer-Tropsch reactor. The demonstration successfully converted renewable natural gas derived from landfill gas and captured industrial carbon dioxide into synthetic aviation fuel meeting ASTM D7566 specifications. This successful run provided the engineering data required to de-risk the design and scale-up of the Project Beacon facility ahead of its construction phase.
Singapore’s SAF ecosystem and airline targets
The aviation industry is increasingly reliant on SAF to meet decarbonization targets, but feedstock availability remains a primary bottleneck. Aether’s FT-SPK pathway addresses this by utilizing industrial waste gases and biomethane, bypassing the constrained agricultural and lipid-based feedstocks, such as used cooking oil, that dominate current SAF production.
The agreement aligns with broader regional regulatory shifts. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has mandated a SAF levy for flights departing Singapore starting in 2026 to fund centralized SAF procurement. Singapore Airlines, which operates a fleet with an average age of under eight years, has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
AirPro News analysis
We view this firm offtake agreement as a clear indicator of the tightening future market for non-lipid SAF. The aviation sector’s reliance on Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) SAF is running into hard limits regarding used cooking oil and tallow availability. By committing to Aether’s FT-SPK product before the Project Beacon facility has even broken ground, Singapore Airlines is moving aggressively to lock in alternative feedstock pathways.
This early commitment is necessary for airlines aiming to meet 2030 mandates. The lead times for financing, constructing, and scaling novel waste-to-fuel facilities span several years, meaning airlines cannot wait for commercial production to begin before securing their supply lines.
Sustainable Aviation
SABA Members Back Infinium eSAF Facility With Long-Term Deals
Google, McKinsey, and others sign binding SAFc agreements to support Infinium Energy’s 100,000 MT/year Texas eSAF project.
Corporate members of the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) have signed binding, multi-year agreements to purchase sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) from Infinium Energy’s planned electro-sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) facility in Texas. The commitments, announced on September 22, 2026, are designed to provide the financial demand signals necessary for Infinium to reach a final investment decision on the project.
In a press release issued by SABA, the organization confirmed that American Airlines (AA) will serve as the physical offtaker for the fuel, managing logistics and delivery. The corporate buyers purchasing the associated certificates include AVEVA, Bain & Company, Google, and McKinsey & Company. The agreement marks the first time SABA’s procurement model has been utilized to directly drive new production capacity for scalable sustainable aviation fuel.
Project Atlas production and environmental targets
Infinium Energy was selected through a SABA procurement process earlier in 2026 to provide ultra-low carbon eSAF. The fuel is produced using waste carbon dioxide and renewable energy, distinguishing it from traditional biofuel pathways that rely on agricultural or waste feedstocks.
The planned Texas facility, designated Project Atlas, is expected to have an annual sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production capacity of 100,000 metric tons. According to the alliance, the contracted volumes will support an expected greenhouse gas abatement of 212,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mtCO2e). SABA equates this emissions reduction to approximately 3,500 commercial flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
“We’re proud to partner with SABA members including AVEVA, Bain & Company, Google, McKinsey, and others, as well as American Airlines to bring Infinium Energy’s next world scale eSAF facility to life. Their commitment reflects a shared conviction that decarbonizing aviation requires real investment in next-generation supply,” said Robert Schuetzle, CEO of Infinium Energy.
Aggregating demand through book-and-claim
The transaction utilizes a book-and-claim model. Corporate buyers purchase the SAFc to claim the environmental benefits against their business travel emissions, while the physical fuel is delivered to partner airlines. This mechanism allows corporations to fund SAF production even when the physical fuel cannot be delivered directly to the airports their employees use.
American Airlines will manage the physical integration of the eSAF into the commercial aviation fuel supply chain. Jill Blickstein, Chief Sustainability Officer at American Airlines, stated that the corporate commitments broaden participation in the SAF market and demonstrate how customers can collaborate with airlines and fuel producers to advance decarbonization.
SABA, a joint initiative of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA), and RMI, has aggregated $500 million in SAFc demand from 35 companies to date. Aviation currently accounts for approximately 2 to 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Novel technologies are critical to meeting future demand for sustainable aviation fuel, but they will not be operational in time without investments made today. This procurement demonstrates how aggregated, long-term demand can help take promising eSAF projects from idea to reality,” said Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI.
AirPro News analysis
We view this agreement as a critical structural step for the eSAF market. Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuels like those planned for Project Atlas face a steep commercialization barrier. They are highly capital-intensive to build and currently produce fuel at a significant cost premium compared to both conventional Jet A and HEFA-based SAF derived from waste fats and oils.
Airlines operate on thin margins and generally cannot absorb the full green premium of eSAF alone. By unbundling the environmental attributes from the physical fuel, the SABA model allows highly capitalized corporate entities like Google and McKinsey & Company to absorb that premium. More importantly, signing binding, multi-year offtake agreements provides the revenue certainty that infrastructure lenders require before financing first-of-a-kind industrial facilities. If Project Atlas reaches a positive final investment decision based on these contracts, it will validate the book-and-claim model as a viable financing mechanism for next-generation aerospace infrastructure.
Sources: Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance via PR Newswire
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