Air New Zealand seeks innovators in global search for sustainable aviation fuel

Photo: Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand has launched a global open invitation to innovators and start-ups in the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) sector to become a supply partner to the airline. 

It is the first time an airline has made a global call to potential suppliers in the burgeoning SAF industry to work together on supply opportunities. 

The airline’s opportunity statement, released March 19, provides an overview of Air New Zealand’s SAF requirements based on its network, fleet, sustainability targets and criteria.

It is intended to kick-start discussion for ongoing collaboration as well as identify new opportunities. 

Kiri Hannifin, Air New Zealand’s chief sustainability officer, said SAF is integral to the aviation industry’ future, which faces a very steep challenge to decarbonize.  

“Air New Zealand plays an essential role in connecting New Zealand’s people, tourism and trade to the world, but we must find a way to do this more sustainably and as quickly as we can,” Hannifin said. “A stable supply of SAF is critical to our ability to reduce carbon emissions and continue to play this role for the long term. That’s why we’ve taken this novel approach, asking emerging SAF producers from around the world to connect with us and respond to the opportunity statement. Air New Zealand is an ideal airline partner for SAF innovators and producers. We have a mature understanding of SAF, a clear roadmap to meet our targets, and the volumes of SAF we need to align with current production capabilities.”

Hannifin continued, saying, “Our airline is known for pushing boundaries and challenging ourselves to think differently, and we’re also deeply committed to meeting our decarbonization goals. This opportunity statement shares our vision and allows current and future SAF producers to recognize both the opportunity and Air New Zealand’s ambition to become a customer as soon as possible.”

Air New Zealand was just the second airline globally to announce an interim science-based target.

The interim target, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), requires a 28.9 percent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, from a 2019 baseline. 

Air New Zealand anticipates it will need SAF to make up around 20 percent of its total fuel uptake by 2030, alongside a long-term and strategic regulatory package for which it is actively advocating. 

This is the latest step in Air New Zealand’s journey to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, after partnering with pioneers of next-generation aircraft technology through its Mission Next Gen Aircraft Program, cofunding the research and development of a domestic SAF industry, and investing in the United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund.  

Air New Zealand is looking to enter short-, medium- and long-term SAF offtake agreements, recognizing these are often critical to the business case for a plant, mitigating risk through providing demand certainty for the SAF producer, its investors and financiers. 

The opportunity statement can be accessed here.