Boeing has announced a supply agreement for two million gallons (7.5 million litres) of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with EPIC Fuels to power its Commercial Airplanes operations in Washington state and South Carolina throughout 2022.
The agreement is the largest announced SAF procurement by an airframer. Sheila Remes, Boeing vice president of Environmental Sustainability said: “SAF is a safe, proven, immediate solution that will help achieve our industry’s long-term commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Boeing has been a pioneer in making sustainable aviation fuels a reality. Through this agreement we will reduce our carbon footprint and have SAF available for customer deliveries as well as our own operations.”
SAF can reduce C02 emissions by 80 per cent
Sustainably produced jet fuel can reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 80 per cent over the fuel’s life cycle with the potential to reach 100 per cent in the future. It is widely recognized as offering the most immediate and greatest potential to decarbonize aviation over the next 20 to 30 years.
Sustainable aviation fuel is made from several feedstocks and is certified for commercial use and can be blended with traditional jet fuel without modifications to aircraft, engines or fuelling infrastructure. Approximately a year ago, Boeing committed to deliver commercial aircraft capable and certified to fly on 100 per cent SAF by 2030.
The purchase agreement with EPIC Fuels includes a SAF product made from inedible agricultural waste, blending 30 per cent neat SAF with 70 per cent conventional jet fuel. The purchase will enable broader use of SAF for Boeing commercial production, test, ferry, Dreamlifter and customer flights at facilities in Everett, Renton and Seattle in Washington state and North Charleston, South Carolina. EPIC Fuels will also continue to supply customized blends from 50/50 per cent up to 100 per cent SAF for the Boeing ecoDemonstrator programme, which accelerates innovation by taking promising technologies out of the lab and testing them in the air to solve real-world challenges for airlines and passengers. SAF is currently approved for a 50/50 blend with conventional jet fuel for commercial flights.
Boeing: long term investment in developing SAF around the world
“Our focus on environmental stewardship and safety is well known in the industry,” said Kyle O’Leary, VP and COO of EPIC Fuels, an independent aviation fuel supplier with primary operations throughout the US and Canada. “EPIC and Boeing have been partners for decades and we are honoured to be a part of this procurement. Working together, we are making sustainability more attainable for our customers.”
The purchase builds on Boeing’s long-term investment developing SAF around the world, partnering with airlines, fuel companies, governments and research institutions to expand supply and reduce cost. Boeing began SAF test flights in 2008, helped gain approval for commercial use in 2011 and enabled aircraft delivery flights with SAF starting in 2012.
The 2018 Boeing ecoDemonstrator conducted the industry’s first 100 percent SAF commercial test flight on a 777 Freighter in partnership with FedEx. In 2019, Boeing began offering customers the option to power commercial delivery flights with SAF to demonstrate commitment to reducing CO2 and further spur the use of cleaner fuels.
