The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group has signed an agreement with refining company Neste to purchase 1,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
This will make the group’s two airlines, Singapore Airlines and Scoot, the first carriers to receive SAF produced at Neste’s refinery in the country.
Neste said that it will blend the SAF with conventional jet fuel according to the required safety specifications and deliver the blended jet fuel to Singapore Changi Airport’s (SIN) fuel hydrant system in two batches – once in the second quarter of 2024 and once in the fourth quarter of this year.
This also marks the first direct supply of Neste’s SAF to airlines at SIN airport, following the completion of Neste Singapore’s refinery expansion in May 2023. According to Neste, the refinery can produce a million tonnes of SAF each year, making it the world’s largest SAF production facility.
“We are proud that Singapore Airlines and Scoot are our first customers benefiting from our integrated supply capabilities into Changi Airport,” Alexander Kueper, Neste Vice President of Renewable Aviation, said in a statement. “Singapore is a leading aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific region and this delivery of SAF, as well as the recently announced national SAF target, will hopefully encourage the wider adoption of SAF across the broader Asia-Pacific region.”
“This agreement with Neste is an important milestone in the SIA Group’s journey to have a minimum of 5% sustainable aviation fuel in our total fuel uplift by 2030,” Lee Wen Fen, Singapore Airlines’ Chief Sustainability Officer, said. A more sustainable aviation industry will ensure that future generations continue to benefit from the global connectivity, economic prosperity, and people links that air travel fosters.”
Singapore Airlines said that starting May 2024, it will offer 1,000 SAF Book & Claim Units (BCUs) for purchase by its corporate travelers, shippers, and freight forwarders.
Each BCU represents one tonne of neat SAF with its associated carbon dioxide reduction benefit. Purchasing SAF BCUs allows corporate travelers, shippers, and freight forwarders to claim the associated environmental benefits for flights related to their business travel and operations.