Canadian flag carrier Air Canada will take up an additional supply of 2.5 million gallons (9.5 million liters or 7,500 tons) of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel for its San Francisco flight operations.
The sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplied to Air Canada will be blended with conventional jet fuel and used to power the airline’s flights from the San Francisco International Airport.
Fivefold increase in SAF purchase
Air Canada has committed to the ambitious goal of net-zero emissions from all its global operations by 2050, and the latest SAF procurement demonstrates the role that sustainable fuel plays in the overall strategy.
In addition to the long-term goal, the carrier has mid-term targets for reducing net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 from both its air and ground operations compared to its 2019 baseline.
Michael Rousseau, President and CEO at Air Canada spoke about the need to adopt a multifaceted approach to address the pressing issues of sustainability and climate change.
He explains that both environmental and social factors are incorporated into the airline strategic decisions, which include decisions on fleet purchase and daily operations using low carbon alternatives
“SAF comprises one of our core pillars in pursuing our net-zero emission targets. We have been purchasing Neste SAF since February 2022,” he said
“Today’s announced purchase represents a five-fold increase in our SAF procurement year over year and is an important step towards our target of one per cent fuel to be SAF by 2025, supporting our journey towards our 2050 net zero decarbonization goals,” he concluded.
Canada Clean Fuel Standard
The Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) is an ambitious new piece of Canadian legislation implemented in 2022.
The initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 by 30 million tonnes, an amount equal to taking seven million cars off the road, as estimated by Clean Energy Canada, a group endorsing the CFS.
Michael Sargeant from Neste spoke of the related importance of addressing carbon emissions in the aviation sector.
“Decarbonising aviation is more important than ever. Canada’s passage of a clean fuel standard last year demonstrates the strong commitment to achieve net zero by 2050,” says Michael Sargeant, Vice President Americas from the Renewable Aviation business unit at Neste.
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“We look forward to continuing to work together as we increase our annual SAF production capability to 1.5 million tons per annum by the end of 2023,” he said.
Neste is the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel and is currently increasing its annual SAF production capability to 1.5 million tons per annum by the end of 2023.
The company maintains ongoing investments at its refineries in Singapore and Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Neste’s SAF is available to airlines at a growing number of airports globally and in the Americas, including San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel
SAF is a renewable aviation fuel providing a more sustainable alternative to conventional, fossil based jet fuel.
It is widely recognized as a key lever to achieve aviation’s emission reduction goals. Using Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% over the fuel’s life cycle, compared to using conventional jet fuel.
Neste’s SAF is made from sustainably sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste.
