Sustainable Jet Fuel (SAF) and Aviation Sustainability

UK aviation business Centreline AV Limited is now making an alliance with Air bp to provide Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from its FBO at the Bristol Airport. As the first non-network user and independent retailer of SAF in the UK, Centreline, has invested in the build-out infrastructure to provide SAF to customers. The company is trying to become carbon neutral in its operations by 2025.

Clay Lacy Aviation is now getting in on the potential of SAF. They say that the company has put together a team to work on providing SAF to customers that need it at two FBOs located at the Californian-based Van Nuys and John Wayne Orange County airports. It appears Clay Lacy is partnering with World Fuels to do the delivery of the SAF to the FBOs. 2021 deliveries to total a minimum of 100,000 gallons.

Atlantic Aviation is now the latest FBO in the California area to offer permanent supplies of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to its customers. This all started when the first shipment of 7,800 gallons of the blended fuel arrived at their Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) FBO site yesterday. World Fuel delivered the first batch and was placed into one of the fuel tanks at the site.

Total has now joined the ranks as a provider of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The biojet fuel, made from used cooking oil, will be delivered to French airports starting in April 2021. "By producing sustainable aviation fuel at our French sites today, we are able to respond to strong demand from an aviation industry looking to reduce its carbon footprint, while adapting our industrial resources. As a broad energy company, we support our customers by providing innovative solutions to reduce their emissions. This commitment is fully aligned with Total’s climate ambition to get to net zero emissions by 2050," said Bernard Pinatel, President of Refining & Chemicals at Total.

Signature Flight Support is in the SAF news after suggesting it has pumped more than one million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is possible through its Signature Renew program at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). As a result more than an estimated 10,000-tonne reduction in aircraft CO2 emissions has been achieved. "This marks the first time a single FBO location globally has delivered such a substantial and consistent supply of SAF to business aircraft operators," said Signature Flight Support COO Tony Lefebvre.

Airbus talking SAF.

Not quite to do with SAF directly but it is a push to beingcome carbon neutral by this company called Air Elite. Air Elite® by World Fuel now has 43 member locations that have become carbon neutral. Working with Air Elite’s network locations, World Fuel Services’ affiliate, World Kinect Energy Services, analyzed the member’s energy use and retired carbon offsets to compensate for their 2019 scope 1 and scope 2 carbon emissions. Achieving carbon neutrality at 43 locations is a meaningful initial action in Air Elite’s vision of becoming a sustainable network. In association with World Fuel, the network intends to expand the sustainability program by providing conservation programs, renewable energy, and expanded offset options to decarbonize their operations. View the full list of the 43 Air Elite member locations that have achieved carbon neutrality for 2019 and read more about the network’s initiative.

There is now an over-arching body for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) which will provide transparency, and accuracy to the accounting practices documenting the use of SAF in multi-party transactions. The body is called Council on Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accountability (CoSAFA) and is comprised of noted organizations like NATA, NBAA, EBAA, IBAC, GAMA, and Airlines for America. "Before significant SAF scale-up can occur, investors need confidence that producers and SAF purchasers will be able to reliably capture environmental premiums from lower carbon fuels, and that SAF carbon intensity and other sustainability data can be consistently reported, auditable, and traceable," the group noted.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel general does not go pass a 50/50 blend with conventional fuel. Williams says they have done a test with 100% SAF using the FJ44-4 engine, the same one that powers the Pilatus PC-24. However, no indication that the testbed aircraft was actually a PC-24. The test was conducted on March 29th. The test pilot remarked that the flight was uneventful and the plane went to 45,000-foot altitude. "We have shown that Williams engines can use 100 percent SAF to decarbonize business aviation," said company president, chairman, and CEO Gregg Williams. "The next critical step is to accelerate the production of SAF to make it more widely available and affordable."

The use of SAF is now growing world wide. The first airport in France to offer it is the Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport. "Allowing planes to refuel with less-polluting sustainable biofuels will allow Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport to be at the forefront of innovation while being a role model of progress to help decarbonize aviation," said Laurent Wauquiez, president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region.

Atlantic Aviation announced on Earth Day that it was in the process of stocking up on supplies of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). You will find this offering at the company's Colorado’s Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (KASE) site. It is not just offering SAF on an ad hoc basis but on a continual basis making it the second company to offer the fuel on a continual basis in the US. The company is using Neste to produce the fuel and it is being distributed by Avfuel.

Textron Aviation is also in on the SAF phenomenon. They have signed a deal with Avfuel to deliver continuous supply of SAF from Neste. "Avfuel’s collaboration with Textron Aviation is welcomed progress for business aviation’s sustainability initiative," explained Keith Sawyer, the Michigan-based fuel provider’s manager of alternative fuels. "It’s not only an exceptional way for Textron Aviation to reduce its carbon emissions, it’s also an excellent way to introduce flight operators to the viability of sustainable aviation fuel."

Continuous supply SAF is going to be come a norm in California with the addition of another outlet. Truckee Tahoe Airport District (KTRK) is the newest location in the state to offer continuous supply of SAF. Late last month the first supply produced by Neste and provided by Avfuel came to the airport. "Truckee Tahoe Airport District has long practiced good stewardship with its community, helping to protect our serene environment," said Kevin Smith, KTRK’s general manager. "As such, the airport has implemented a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Initiative, which now includes SAF—the most effective way to directly reduce emissions."

SAF in Europe is going to take on a greater role in the future especially with decarbonization mandates coming it. "We have committed to ambitious emissions reduction targets to decarbonize aviation," said Adina-Ioana Vălean, European commissioner for transport. Speaking at the recent inaugural European Business Aviation SAF Summit, she noted that..."for the European Union to hit its goals of cutting emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2050, sustainable fuels must account for an increasing share of aviation’s fuel mix over time, to reach more than 60 percent."

Signature Flight Support, the world’s largest network of Fixed-Base Operations (FBO), announced today new permanent supplies of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at three airports: Austin-Bergstrom Int’l Airport in Austin, TX (AUS), Houston-Hobby Airport in Houston, TX (HOU), and the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Int’l Airport in San Jose, CA (SJC). In addition to being the first Fixed Base Operator to offer commercially available SAF at any airport in the state of Texas, Signature Flight Support is leading the business aviation industry’s drive towards sustainability as the largest network provider for permanent SAF - which now totals 9 airports around the world.

Airbus, Safran, Dassault Aviation, ONERA and Ministry of Transport are jointly launching an in-flight study, at the end of 2021, to analyse the compatibility of unblended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with single-aisle aircraft and commercial aircraft engine and fuel systems, as well as with helicopter engines. This flight will be made with the support of the “Plan de relance aéronautique” (the French government‘s aviation recovery plan) managed by Jean Baptiste Djebbari, French Transport Minister.

Known as VOLCAN (VOL avec Carburants Alternatifs Nouveaux), this project is the first time that in-flight emissions will be measured using 100% SAF in a single-aisle aircraft. Airbus is responsible for characterising and analysing the impact of 100% SAF on-ground and in-flight emissions using an A320neo test aircraft powered by a CFM LEAP-1A engine. Safran will focus on compatibility studies related to the fuel system and engine adaptation for commercial and helicopter aircraft and their optimisation for various types of 100% SAF fuels. ONERA will support Airbus and Safran in analysing the compatibility of the fuel with aircraft systems and will be in charge of preparing, analysing and interpreting test results for the impact of 100% SAF on emissions and contrail formation. In addition, Dassault Aviation will contribute to the material and equipment compatibility studies and verify 100% SAF biocontamination susceptibility.

The various SAFs used for the VOLCAN project will be provided by TotalEnergies.

Moreover, this study will support efforts currently underway at Airbus and Safran to ensure the aviation sector is ready for the large-scale deployment and use of SAF as part of the wider initiative to decarbonise the industry. It will also contribute to the ultimate goal of achieving 100% SAF certification in single-aisle commercial aircraft and the new generation of business jets.

The sweep of SAF continues with more and more FBOs adopting the storage and delivery of the substance for jet flights. "Delivering SAF immediately was a key driver in our decision to select Titan Aviation Fuels as our fuel brand supplier," said company president and CEO Josh Birmingham. "We could not be more excited to make SAF available to the industry, as well as our own fleet of planes." You will find this additional service at Premier Jet Services which is an FBO at the Detroit-area Oakland County International Airport (KPTK).

Million Air Burbank received its first load of SAF from Avfuel branded supplies. "I think most of us in the aviation industry have been looking for ways to play a part in the battle against climate change," said Priscilla Howden, general manager of Million Air Burbank. "So, when we were given the opportunity to provide SAF to our customers, we jumped on it. Working with flight departments, Avfuel, Neste and the Hollywood Burbank Airport on a joint effort to reduce carbon emissions has been an incredible and inspiring experience."

Farnborough Airport in the UK is offering Sustainable Aviation Fuel to all aircraft. CEO Simon Geere said: "The introduction of SAF at Farnborough Airport is a major milestone in our sustainability programme, and we are pleased to be able to offer Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel by working with our fuel provider, World Fuel Services." With the UK's net-zero carbon reduction target year being 2050, this is a small part to play in the larger picture the government would like for the country as a whole. The SAF that Neste is producing is made from sustainable waste sources. It is produced 100% from renewable and sustainable waste and residual raw materials like used cooking oil from restaurants and animal fat waste.

Boeing and future sustainability.