At Dubai Airshow last month, amidst the roar of engines and the gleam of cutting-edge aircraft, there was a quieter revolution brewing, one that starts in restaurant kitchens across the UAE.
Yousif Lootah, CEO of Lootah Biofuels, sat down with SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam to discuss how he’s turning used cooking oil (UCO) into sustainable aviation fuel, with a sense of urgency that’s deeply personal.
“When you see how the world is, how we are living right now, I want my kids to live in the same environment, or even better, you know? Saving the environment is not an option. It’s something that we have to change right now,” Mr Lootah explained.
The beauty of drop-in technology
What drew Mr Lootah to biofuels when he started in 2010 was their immediate practicality. Unlike many other sustainable solutions that require wholesale infrastructure changes, biofuels offer something aviation desperately needs: compatibility with existing systems.
“We don’t need to buy a new car or new airplane or new engines or hybrid or futuristic innovations, but [we can make it work] in the same infrastructure, same engines, same petrol stations, same everything, same infrastructure that have since decades ago, you know?” he noted.
This is particularly crucial for aviation, where aircraft built today will continue flying for three decades or more. With global fleet numbers projected to grow from 29,000 to 43,000 aircraft by 2044, drop-in technology isn’t just convenient, it’s essential.
Exporting a circular economy
Lootah Biofuels isn’t limiting its ambitions to the UAE. The company has successfully exported its technology and knowledge to the Maldives, where it’s created what Mr Lootah proudly called “a practical circular economy.” The island nation’s reliance on diesel marine transport made it an ideal candidate for biofuel production from the waste cooking oil generated by its luxury hospitality sector.
But there’s a common question: does the UAE produce enough used cooking oil to sustain this industry? Mr Lootah was candid about the reality. “We are importer [of UCO] for the production that we have,” he explained.
With the UAE’s growing population and increasing consumption, the company imports feedstock whilst simultaneously building partnerships with international leaders before establishing its own production facility.
The Middle East advantage
Mr Lootah sees the region’s geographic position as pivotal. “It is in the middle of the world, of the new world,” he said, pointing to the massive growth expected in China and India through 2040 and 2050. The future of aviation will inevitably be sustainable, he argued, and the region is positioned to lead, but not alone.
“As I said, in the region, we don’t want to do everything ourselves,” he emphasised, gesturing to the international presence at the airshow.
He was also realistic about the technology mix, noting that SAF won’t be a silver bullet: “When we talk about SAF, it’s not 100% SAF. It’s a blend with LCAF, with new technologies that are going to evolve.”
The challenge of cost and carbon credits
The elephant in the room, however, is economics. If airlines were forced to use 100% SAF today, the burden wouldn’t primarily fall on carriers, it would hit passengers directly through higher ticket prices. Mr Lootah believes the solution lies in global carbon credits and proper carbon accounting for airline emissions.
“I think there has to be a global carbon credit. Carbon calculations to fix the production of the carbon emission of airliners,” he said, expressing optimism about platforms like Boeing’s Cascade that are helping to simplify these complex calculations.
A personal commitment
Outside the boardroom, Mr Lootah lives his values. He drives a Ferrari SF90 Spider – hybrid-powered and running on the bio racing fuel his company produces. He’s an advanced diver, a paddle enthusiast, and harbours ambitions of earning his pilot’s licence.
But perhaps most tellingly, he recalled his late father’s advice: to fear the Almighty and do good deeds, knowing that when you help others, especially the poor, blessings return in unexpected ways.
It’s this philosophy — combining business acumen with genuine environmental stewardship and social responsibility — that drives Lootah Biofuels forward.
As the aviation industry grapples with its decarbonisation challenge, Mr Lootah’s approach offers something increasingly valuable: practical solutions grounded in real-world infrastructure, powered by partnership, and motivated by a father’s hope for his children’s future.
This interview was made possible by CAE, whose commitment to sustainable aviation training and innovation continues to support the industry’s journey towards decarbonisation.
