Neste, Finnair present SAF-based solution to reduce business travel emissions

Photo: Neste Corp.

Neste and Finnair are joining forces to reduce carbon emissions related to Neste employees’ business travel by using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Neste has recently made 300 tons of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ available at Helsinki Airport in Finland for Finnair’s use. By replacing a part of the fossil jet fuel with SAF on its flights departing from Helsinki Airport, Finnair will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 900 tons of CO2 equivalent. This represents a significant share of the emissions accumulated from Neste employees’ global air travel in 2020.

The collaboration contributes to the climate commitments Neste made in 2020, including a commitment to reduce and compensate emissions from its employees’ business travel through the use of the company’s own SAF. Finnair is a strategic partner for Neste, and also one of the most frequently used airlines for business travel by Neste’s employees. Finnair’s target is to become carbon neutral by 2045, and to halve its net CO2 emissions by the end of 2025.

The collaboration between Neste and Finnair also serves as a showcase for other businesses, since it offers a clear solution on how to reduce business air travel emissions. Neste’s aim is to make this solution available for businesses, public institutions and other organizations with ambitious climate commitments.

“We are excited about collaborating with Finnair to pilot the innovative solution we have developed for reducing emissions from business air travel,” said Sami Jauhiainen, vice president of business development with Neste’s renewable aviation business unit. “This solution, built upon Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel and partnerships with airlines, will provide corporate customers and other organizations yet another tool for tackling climate change and meeting their climate commitments. We are extending the invitation to other companies and collaborating airlines to partner with Neste, making business travel more sustainable and future-fit. It is now a great time to prepare for when business travel takes off again.”

Anne Larilahti, vice president of sustainability at Finnair, said, “Sustainable aviation fuels are a key element in our ambitious CO2 emissions reduction targets. Solving the climate challenge of aviation requires contribution from all stakeholders. Companies can reduce the environmental footprint of their business travel by choosing direct routes, flying with airlines that have a fuel-efficient fleet, and by choosing to fly with SAF. We are excited to partner with Neste in this.”

As part of the pilot project, Neste has arranged to supply altogether 500 metric tons of SAF in Europe and North America to the airlines most frequently used by Neste employees on their business travels. The volume already provided for Finnair’s use is included in the total.

Replacing fossil jet fuel with such an amount of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel has been calculated to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 1,500 tons CO2 equivalent when all the emissions over the life cycle of the fuels are taken into account and compared*. The emission savings correspond to the total estimated emissions that resulted from Neste employees’ business air traveling globally in 2020.

Neste will continue to reduce the emissions from its employees’ corporate traveling each year with its SAF-based solution. The volumes of SAF needed to cut the corresponding emissions are expected to increase post the COVID-19 pandemic; hence, the company continues to consider all alternatives to reduce its own emissions and those related to its value chains.

*The emissions calculations are based on the method provided by the EU Renewable Energy Directive. Based on this method, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel in its neat form and over the life cycle helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil jet fuel use. The companies have not claimed any regulatory incentives for the supplied SAF, and thus the achieved emission reduction is additional to that achieved by governmental policies.