Neste, Avfuel partner for US supply of sustainable aviation fuel

Photo: Neste Corp.

Neste and Avfuel Corp. announced a strategic partnership to create an efficient, continuous supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the U.S. Neste will provide Avfuel with SAF in volumes able to meet the growing demands of Avfuel’s customers, including fixed base operators (FBOs), airports, flight departments, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and commercial operators. Avfuel will be a branded SAF distributor for Neste, and will sell it under the trademarked brand name Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

The strategic partnership positions Avfuel as one of the first U.S. companies able to supply its customers with SAF on a continuous basis. Monterey Jet Center (KMRY)—an Avfuel-branded FBO in Monterey, California—will be the first customer to receive a consistent supply of SAF. With the first delivery scheduled for the first quarter of 2021, Neste and Avfuel will work with Monterey Jet Center to ensure that the supply chain, from production through invoicing, functions smoothly before rolling the program out to a larger customer base.

“This strategic partnership is an exciting development for the industry’s sustainability initiative and a natural next step in response to aviation’s growing demand for SAF,” said Craig Sincock, president and CEO of Avfuel. “It combines Neste’s leading SAF production and marketing expertise with Avfuel’s leading distribution logistics and branding proficiencies for our global network of FBOs and fuel consumers. Together, we are able to support aviation’s sustainability goals and enhance supply availability at a commercial scale, filling an immense gap in the industry’s supply chain. Avfuel is proud to partner with the Neste team, who demonstrate a deep commitment to aviation and sustainability efforts for a brighter, cleaner world.”

Chris Cooper, Neste’s vice president of renewable aviation in North America, said, “This collaboration is about so much more than just creating a supply chain. We are really providing passengers a meaningful way to reduce their carbon footprint when traveling on a business or private aircraft. Thanks to great partners like Avfuel, travelers who care about the health of our planet will be able to choose to board an aircraft flying on SAF.”

Neste has been at the vanguard of sustainable aviation fuel production for nearly a decade and the company expects to have the capacity to produce some 1.5 million tons (515 million gallons) of SAF annually by 2023. Neste’s SAF is made from sustainably sourced, renewable waste and residue materials. It is a drop-in fuel that offers an immediate way to directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft, requiring no new investments, modifications or changes to the aircraft or fuel distribution procedures.

Prior to use, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel is blended with fossil jet fuel and is then certified to meet ASTM jet fuel specifications. In its neat form and over the lifecycle, the use of Neste’s SAF can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent compared to fossil jet fuel use.