Boeing (NYSE: BA) has made a deal with Epic Fuels to acquire 2 million gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to power its commercial airplanes operation in Washington state and South Carolina.
“SAF is a safe, proven, immediate solution that will help achieve our industry’s long-term commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Sheila Remes, Boeing vice president of environmental sustainability.
“SAF is a safe, proven, immediate solution that will help achieve our industry’s long-term commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
Sheila Remes, Boeing vice president of environmental sustainability
In a statement, Boeing said the agreement is the largest announced SAF procurement by an airframe manufacturer, describing it as further demonstration of Boeing’s commitment to decarbonizing aviation.
“Boeing has been a pioneer in making sustainable aviation fuels a reality,” Remes continued. “Through this agreement, we will reduce our carbon footprint and have SAF available for customer deliveries as well as our own operations.”
Boeing has a goal of having its commercial airplane fleet capable and certified to fly on 100 percent SAF by 2030.
Sustainably produced jet fuel is made from several feedstocks, making it a renewable resource rather than a finite refined material. SAF is designed to reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 80 percent.
“Our focus on environmental stewardship and safety is well known in the industry,” said Kyle O’Leary, vice president and chief operating officer of Epic Fuels, an independent aviation fuel supplier with primary operations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“Epic and Boeing have been partners for decades and we are honored to be a part of this procurement. Working together, we are making sustainability more attainable for our customers.”
The fuel is certified for commercial use and can be blended with traditional jet fuel. SAF is currently approved for a 50/50 blend with conventional jet fuel for commercial flights.
Epic Fuels will also continue to supply customized blends from 50/50 percent up to 100 percent SAF for the Boeing ecoDemonstrator program. The program accelerates innovation by taking developing and promising technologies out of the lab and testing them in the air to solve real-world challenges for airlines and passengers.
DHL Also Makes a Big SAF Purchase
Boeing isn’t the only company to make a big SAF purchase this week, DHL Global Forwarding—an air and ocean freight division of Deutsche Post DHL Group—has signed a three-year agreement with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo for the purchase of 33 million liters of SAF.
DHL calls the deal one of the “most significant” purchases of SAF in freight forwarding. The company has a goal to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050.
The company believes that blending this amount of SAF with conventional aviation fuel over the next three years will reduce carbon emissions by 80,000 tons.
In a media release, Tim Scharwath, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, said, “We have set ourselves ambitious goals on our journey towards zero emissions. Sustainable fuels are a fundamental part of our efforts. That is why we have committed to covering at least 30 percent of airfreight and ocean freight fuel requirements with sustainable fuels by 2030.”
