Aemetis has signed a multi-year agreement with International Airlines Group (IAG) to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for British Airways and Aer Lingus flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
From 2025, IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Aer Lingus, will purchase 78,400 tonnes of SAF over seven years for use at SFO.
By using SAF in the place of Jet A-1 fuel, this total will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 248,000 tonnes.
Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis, said:Sustainable aviation fuel continues to be shown to be a great solution to decarbonise aviation and can be used in existing aircraft engines. IAG is continuing to take a leadership position by the conversion of their fuel supply to the use of sustainable fuels. Our production of SAF in California is supported by the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, creating new investment and jobs in disadvantaged minority communities in the state.
The SAF will be produced at Aemetis’s Carbon Zero plant, which is currently under development in Riverbank, California. This plant will be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity and is designed to withdraw CO2 from the production process to significantly reduce the carbon intensity of the fuel.
International Airlines Group was the first airline group to commit to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the first European airline group to commit to using SAF for 10 percent of its fuel by 2030.
This agreement also builds upon SFO’s ongoing initiatives to increase the use of SAF at the airport. These efforts have already resulted in SFO actively receiving the highest volume of SAF of any airport in the world.
Jonathon Counsell, Head of Sustainability at IAG, said:SAF is key to decarbonising aviation and IAG has to date committed $865 million in SAF purchases and investments. We see great potential to develop a long-term partnership with Aemetis who is at the cutting edge of producing low carbon biofuels from sustainable wastes.
