For 30 years, Russ Green worked primarily in the fuels and lubricants businesses of ExxonMobil. Today, Russ is focused on developing low-emission fuels for the highest-emitting industries. ExxonMobil recently spoke with Russ about the future of transportation and the innovations he is working on to help reduce emissions.

ExxonMobil: Russ, thanks for telling us about the low-emission fuel landscape. Tell us a bit about your career with the company.

Russian Green: For most of my career, I have been part of our fuels and lubricants businesses. In these companies, I have contributed to the development and deployment of products and customer solutions for our main brands Exxon, Esso, Mobil, Mobil 1 and Federal. I’ve had the great privilege of working with partners like General Motors, Toyota, Porsche, Red Bull Racing in Formula 1, NASCAR and the NBA, as well as our fantastic brand name distributors and wholesalers. Throughout my career, I’ve also had the opportunity to engage with our world-class technology and manufacturing teams, who drive our product differentiation and logistics expertise.

EM: Can you tell us about what ExxonMobil is doing with low-emission fuels and what that means for your role in the energy transition?

RG: We plan to play a leading role in how the world decarbonizes. We invest in the production of low-emission fuels, including biofuels and eFuel, which is a synthetic fuel based on hydrogen and captured CO₂, carbon dioxide from carbon capture. From our renewable diesel project in Strathcona, Canada, to our investment in Norwegian company Biojet AS, a company that turns wood waste into biofuel, we have a number of projects underway that will one day serve many markets in the world.

Our customers are also looking to reduce their emissions, and we partner with them to provide low-emission fuel solutions as we all work toward the company’s net zero goals. It’s exciting to be part of this effort. Like others I work with in ExxonMobil’s Product Solutions Company and Low Carbon Solutions businesses, I apply the expertise we have developed over decades of working in traditional fuels as well as new thinking to this new world of next generation fuels.

EM: You highlighted ExxonMobil’s commitment to providing these solutions. Can you tell us about how the company views the transportation industry?

RG: One of our main objectives is to identify some of the most emitting sectors of the economy to see how we can apply innovative solutions and products to help decarbonize them.

Today, transport accounts for 23% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Of this number, approximately 52% comes from heavy transport, such as trucks, planes and ships. For example, in the transportation sector, we seek to develop alternative fuels that reduce emissions in the heavy trucking, aviation and marine industries.

In addition to ongoing projects using conventional biofoods for production, we are also moving towards the future deployment of scalable technologies to process advanced biofoods, such as forest residues or renewable liquids produced from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. , in transportation fuels. It is our desire to be a leader and we are focused on delivering the fuels our customers want across all transportation sectors.

If you look at the Advancing Climate Solutions report, you will see the company’s commitment. For example, we plan to produce more than 40,000 barrels per day of low-emission fuels by 2025, and then about 200,000 barrels per day by 2030. Meeting these goals would help the world reduce more than 25 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. .

EM: It’s an impressive macro insight into the work done and how it could apply to the world of transportation; can you talk about details of what is in the works?

RG: Absolutely — let’s look at aviation and the work we do in that industry. When most people consider transportation emissions, they look to the road. But, when you think about air, there is no practical way to fly in electric planes today for a multitude of reasons. And hydrogen aircraft prototypes have great technical challenges to overcome.

So, in order to quickly reduce emissions, the world will need to dramatically increase the production of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, in multiple locations around the world.

EM: What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel?

RG: When we talk about sustainable fuel, in general, we’re really looking at how we refine sustainable food into fuels. Specifically, we seek to manufacture fuels from different raw materials such as vegetable oils, used cooking oils and forestry residues, among other renewable sources. These biofuels will play an important role in a low-emissions future and are a key area of ​​our strategy.

In the world of aviation, we work closely with our airline customers to ensure that SAF products, which are subject to strict quality regulations, are “engine ready” fuels that can be used in today’s existing fleet. This means that they can be easily integrated into the current infrastructure that supports the aviation sector.

EM: This does not sound like a small feat, but certainly a significant challenge to solve. How do you see ExxonMobil progressing in this area?

RG: We have the cutting-edge strategy and capabilities to succeed. Today, with our expertise in the supply and distribution of jet fuel, we work with third parties to supply SAF to customers in France, Singapore and the UK to meet short-term needs. Over time, we plan to produce SAF in multiple locations around the world to better meet the sustainable fuel needs of our customers.

As employees, we continue to say this is the right place to contribute to the energy transition, as there are ongoing technical and business challenges that require continued innovation to increase our production of low-emission fuels.

EM: It looks like exciting times ahead, for sure. Thanks for your time, Russ.

RG: My pleasure. We have great people who are ready to make it happen!

Learn more about ExxonMobil’s commitment to low-emission transportation fuels.

This post was created ExxonMobil with Insider Studios.