LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — The Finnish sustainable fuel company Neste delivered over 500,000 gallons (1,500 metric tons) of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The delivery was made possible by cooperation with LAXFUEL, the consortium of the airlines operating at LAX providing the jet fuel supply infrastructure for the planes at the airport. It is the first time SAF is delivered into LAXFUEL's supply infrastructure using barges for transport.
The fuel delivery significantly increases the availability and accessibility of sustainable aviation fuel at one of the busiest international airports and aviation hubs in the US, offering airlines and passengers a solution to travel more sustainably with reduced greenhouse gas emissions from air travel.
Sustainable aviation fuel has been widely acknowledged as a key element in helping to achieve aviation's emissions reduction goals globally. One of the challenges facing the aviation industry is making SAF available in large enough volumes. Smaller deliveries of SAF have been used for flights out of LAX in the past, but those have been in smaller and infrequent quantities brought in by trucks. This partnership marks the first time that SAF is being delivered as a ready-made fuel blend into the existing fueling infrastructure in large volumes at LAX.
"Sustainable aviation fuel is the fastest, most effective means we have to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from air travel. We now have the means to supply this low-emission fuel in larger volumes, not only to the airlines flying from LAX but also to other airports in the region serviced by the broader fuel infrastructure managed by LAXFUEL in California. This partnership with Nestle proves that we have the capability to immediately implement this fuel as a low-carbon solution. It also provides a sound basis for scaling up future deliveries to airlines," said John Trozzo, Chairman of LAXFUEL Corporation.
"Neste is fully committed to supporting the decarbonization of aviation. Our company has been at the forefront of accelerating the availability of SAF, and this achievement, together with LAXFUEL, shows how we are taking concrete steps toward a more sustainable future for aviation. Recognized as one of the most visited states in the US, California has a huge demand for air travel. By offering SAF to the state's busiest airport, we are enabling passengers who travel to and from California to lower their carbon footprint while enjoying the benefits of flying," said Chris Cooper, President of Neste US.
SAF delivers the performance of conventional jet fuel but with a significantly smaller carbon footprint on a life cycle basis. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% over the fuel's life cycle compared to using fossil jet fuel. Sustainable Aviation Fuel is produced from 100% sustainably sourced renewable waste and residue raw materials, including used cooking oil and animal fat waste.
SAF is blended with conventional jet fuel and works seamlessly with existing fueling infrastructure and aircraft engines.
