Signature Aviation expands supply of Neste SAF to all its California operations

Photo: Signature Flight Support

Signature Aviation, the world’s largest network of fixed-base operations (FBO) delivering essential support services at private-aviation terminals, announced Oct. 19 that it has expanded the availability of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ (SAF) to all of its locations in California.

Business-aviation users now have greater access to SAF in California, enabling them to reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions of their air travel when flying from Signature Aviation’s private-aviation terminals at San Diego International Airport, Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, and Palm Springs International Airport. This brings SAF available to all 10 of Signature Aviation’s owned locations in California.

SAF has been widely acknowledged as a key element in helping to achieve aviation’s emissions-reduction goals. Together with Neste, the world’s largest producer of sustainable aviation fuel, Signature is accelerating the business aviation industry’s journey towards net-zero carbon emissions.

This expansion of SAF availability is built on the existing partnership between Neste and Signature from 2020. Through the scope of the current partnership, Neste and Signature will deliver more than 29 million gallons of blended SAF, reducing over 62,000 metric tons of GHG emissions, equivalent to the emissions from more than 13,000 cars in a year.

“SAF is recognized as the most effective way to reduce GHG emissions from air travel and an important solution to reaching the business-aviation industry’s pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Chris Cooper, president of Neste US. “Together, Signature and Neste are meeting the industry’s growing demand by increasing the volumes and locations where customers can have easy access to SAF to achieve their bold climate goals.”

Beatrice Batty, director of fuel operations for Signature Aviation, added, “Two years ago we announced our first permanent supply of sustainable jet fuel for private aircraft in San Francisco. Since then, we’ve maintained a sharp focus on investing in the supply chain, collaborating with our customers, and expanding availability with Neste. The result today is 10 California locations that can decisively provide the solution to reducing private aircraft carbon emissions.”

This expanded availability is enabled by Neste’s growing production capacity—Neste will be able to produce 515 million gallons of SAF annually by the end of 2023. Neste has a bold carbon-handprint goal to help its customers reduce their GHG emissions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030, as well as to reach a target of carbon-neutral production by 2035.

For Signature Aviation, the expanded availability of SAF in California represents a central objective of Signature Renew, its companywide sustainability initiative. As the first FBO worldwide to offer a permanent supply of SAF, Signature Aviation is continuing to provide a multitude of practical solutions to help operators work towards emission goals. To date, Signature offers a sustainable aviation fuel option for privately operated aircraft at aviation service facilities in California, Colorado, Washington, Alabama, Texas and the U.K.

SAF delivers the performance of conventional jet fuel but with a significantly smaller carbon footprint on a lifecycle basis. Using Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ in its neat form reduces GHG emissions by up to 80 percent over the fuel’s lifecycle compared to using fossil jet fuel. Neste MY SAF is produced from 100 percent sustainably sourced, renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil from restaurants and animal fat waste. SAF is blended with conventional jet fuel and works seamlessly with existing fueling infrastructure and aircraft engines. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ is a today solution, commercially available and in use worldwide.