Air New Zealand makes history with largest purchase ever — here's what it plans to do with the 23,000 tons of fuel

In an effort to move away from dirty energy, Air New Zealand made its largest purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its 2025 supply.

According to Renewable Energy Magazine, Neste, a producer of sustainable aviation fuel, is supplying Air New Zealand with 23,000 tons of fuel.

The fuel will be mixed with "conventional jet fuel before use to meet the jet fuel specifications." Neste will deliver it to "Los Angeles and San Francisco international airports through February 2026." 

Neste also supplied Air New Zealand with SAF in 2024 at LAX and in 2022 at the Auckland Airport. 

According to Air New Zealand's Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Kiri Hannifin, the SAF only represents 1.6% of its fuel, but it's four times more than it had in 2024. 

Hannifin added: "Like all airlines, we urgently need to move away from our high reliance on fossil fuels as quickly as we can, and securing year-on-year higher volumes of SAF is critical."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, SAF "is an alternative fuel made from non-petroleum feedstocks." It "can be blended at different levels with limits between 10% and 50%, depending on the feedstock and how the fuel is produced."

World Travel & Tourism Council created a paper in 2023 about the benefits of SAF. It highlighted an economic impact on tourism destinations. It suggested that in these areas where land is not suitable for food crops, it could be turned into crops for SAF, which would create jobs. It said: "ICF's Fuelling Net Zero report, prepared for the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), estimates that up to 14 million jobs could be created or sustained by the emerging SAF industry."

The U.S. Department of Energy also noted that "100% SAF has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 94%." 

Which of the following sustainable changes would make you most likely to choose a particular airline? Using cleaner fuel Reducing in-flight waste Making it easy to choose low-emissions itineraries I don't pay attention to sustainability when I fly Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Using SAF will also improve the air quality of local communities near airports. Breakthrough Energy said it will reduce "conventional pollutants like particulate matter."

California is all in on making this a reality. In October 2024, California Air Resources Board and Airlines for America created an initiative to scale SAF production and adoption. Major airlines such as JetBlue, Delta, and United have signed onto the initiative. 

You can use your purchasing power for good by flying with one of the airlines using SAF.

Alexander Kueper, vice president of Neste's Renewable Aviation Business, said: "We are proud to support Air New Zealand's efforts to increase its use of SAF to reduce aviation emissions."

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