American Airlines and Google have officially announced a new agreement for sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc).
The agreement represents the largest publicly announced SAFc agreement between an airline and a single corporate customer to date, and will unlock 35 million gallons (132 million litres) of SAF over three years – resulting in almost 300,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions reductions.
Under the agreement; American will purchase and take delivery of physical fuel for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) through its own existing infrastructure, with the SAF portion set to be produced using waste feedstocks such as cooking oil.
Google will then receive the environmental benefits in order to help address its emissions from employee business travel via the SAFc Registry, which enables both transparent and traceable book-and-claim SAFc.
The long-term nature of this agreement will enable American to secure a new, long-term SAF offtake with Valero Marketing and Supply Company and reinforces the company’s longstanding commitment to SAF.
American’s Chief Sustainability Officer Jill Blickstein, said:Our industry-leading agreement with Google is a critical step forward in reducing emissions from our operations.
By working with leaders like Google who share our commitment to innovation, we’re helping to grow demand for SAF and support the development of a stronger, more resilient market.
The overall agreement was made possible by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly by way of the enactment of a SAF tax credit
Google’s Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt, said:This strategic collaboration with American Airlines demonstrates how companies can work together to scale critical sustainability technologies.
By entering into this long-term commitment, we are sending a vital demand signal to catalyse investment and bring more SAF to market.
