Mercedes have announced a multi-million dollar investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel, making them the first global sports team to do this. Like F1 itself, Mercedes are working towards reducing their CO2 emissions and becoming Net Zero by 2030. The Silver Arrows have focused on understanding their impact on the environment – given that they race on multiple continents – and continue to look for ways in which they can drive change. "As Formula 1 operates at the forefront of automotive technology, we have a responsibility to ensure we are at the cutting-edge of innovation in sustainable technologies," Mercedes said in a statement. As such, the team believe that their multi-million-dollar investment in SAF will "significantly improve" their overall environmental impact, as well as further assisting their journey towards becoming Net Zero.
The impact of Mercedes' investment
Sustainable Aviation Fuel is renewable or waste-derived aviation fuel. It is an emerging technology that can play a major role in reducing future international aviation emissions. Aviation is responsible for over a quarter of the Formula 1 team's projected carbon footprint and so, by using SAF, the team aim to take a big step towards their goal of being Net Zero by 2030. Current SAF production and availability is limited, but Mercedes believe that the "opportunity is immense", and they hope that their support of SAF's development and growth will showcase its potential to other industries, encouraging others to invest in its production.
Wolff praises SAF investment
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has voiced his support for the move, and admitted that sustainability is a topic he often thinks about on a personal level as well as a professional one. "Sustainable Aviation Fuel has the potential to transform the way we travel and the impact that we have on the environment," Wolff said. "This is a topic that I think about a great deal personally as well as professionally. "I fly a lot; the team flies a lot. If we must fly, then we need to find a better way to do so and SAF is the best solution available to the aviation industry right now. "We aim to be on the cutting edge of change, using our global motorsport platform as a model for a more sustainable and diversified future."
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