In a landmark agreement, Air New Zealand has finalised the largest purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Neste by any airline outside North America and Europe. The SAF, amounting to nine million litres, is scheduled for delivery before the end of 2024.
Produced at Neste’s Singapore refinery, which expanded its SAF production capability last year, the nine million litres of SAF will be blended with conventional jet fuel to meet the required specifications and supplied to Los Angeles International Airport between April 1, and November 30, 2024.
The SAF is anticipated to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% over the fuel’s life cycle compared to the use of fossil jet fuel, encompassing production and transport emissions.
Dame Therese Walsh, Chair of Air New Zealand, is currently in Singapore as part of a business delegation to Southeast Asia led by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. She stated, “Decarbonising Air New Zealand’s operations is essential for the airline’s long-term ability to connect New Zealanders to the world, as well as support the country’s trade and tourism sectors, and SAF is a key enabler of this.”
She added: “Sustainable aviation fuel is currently the only solution to significantly reduce emissions from long-haul flights, but it currently makes up less than 1% of the global fuel supply. For aviation to reach its net-zero carbon emissions goals by 2050, the SAF industry will need to scale significantly.”
“While the SAF supply is small compared to the airline’s overall fuel use, it is nine-times the size of Air New Zealand’s first shipment of SAF from Neste in 2022, demonstrating growing cooperation between two like-minded organisations to advance the supply and use of SAF.”
