Embattled plane manufacturer Boeing has announced its “largest purchase of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)” from Neste and World Energy.
The US manufacturing giant said it had bought 9.4 million gallons (35.6 million litres) of blended SAF for its own operations and to help support the uptake of SAF globally.
The blended fuel – 30% SAF made from waste by-products such as fats, oils, and greases and 70% conventional jet fuel – will support the Boeing ecoDemonstrator programme and Boeing U.S. commercial operational flights, according to a company statement.
Four million gallons will be delivered to Boeing’s “fuel farm” near its Washington state HQ. These will be used for the company’s own programmes and operations. EPIC Fuels, a Signature Aviation company, will supply 2.5 million gallons from Neste, and Avfuel will provide 1.5 million gallons of blended SAF from Neste.
The firm will supply the wider commercial aviation industry with 5.4 million gallons of SAF via “book-and-claim” arrangements, which will see the fuels delivered to airports for airlines to use. EPIC Fuels will supply 3.5 million gallons of blended SAF made by Neste, while World Fuel Services, a World Kinect company, will supply 1.9 million gallons from World Energy.
In total, the purchase is 60% bigger in volume than Boeing’s previous SAF deals.
Boeing’s vice president in charge of environmental sustainability remarked that safety and quality are the manufacturer’s highest priorities, as it continues to reel from multiple safety crises and the removal of its senior management.
"As our focus remains on safety and quality, sustainability continues to be a priority," said Ryan Faucett said.
But Faucett added that SAF collaboration is important to the company, even if usage levels remain conservative.
"Sustainable aviation fuel is essential to decarbonize aviation. About 20% of our fuel usage is a SAF blend, and we continue to increase our use of this fuel to encourage growth in the SAF industry. We are also working to make SAF more available and affordable to our commercial airline customers through collaboration, investment, research and policy development."
