Neste supplies SAF to Finland's Helsinki airport in pilot project

London — Finnish refiner and clean fuels producer Neste has supplied sustainable aviation fuel to Finland's Helsinki airport as part of a pilot project, it said April 13.

About 300 mt of SAF is now available at Helsinki airport for use by Finnair, it said.

"As part of the pilot project, Neste has arranged to supply altogether 500 mt of SAF in Europe and North America to the airlines most frequently used by Neste employees on their business travels," Neste said.

SAF is a renewable alternative to traditional jet fuel, made by converting sustainable feedstocks into fuel. It is mostly manufactured from bio-waste, namely agricultural waste fats and/or oils, or residue raw materials.

Aircraft can currently only operate using a maximum 50% blend of SAF and conventional jet fuel known as Jet A1. But the amount of SAF that can be blended into Jet A1 depends on the purity of the initial petroleum-based product.

SAF focus

An increasing number of airlines and oil companies are collaborating in an effort to take the first steps towards decarbonizing the aviation sector.

Total said April 8 that it will begin delivering SAF to French airports later this month, as it steps up efforts to produce cleaner fuels.

Neste has moved away from traditional oil refining and refocused its business on producing renewable diesel, SAF and feedstock for polymers and chemicals.

It has already emerged as one of the largest SAF producers, with a current capacity of 100,000 mt/year. It is aiming to produce some 1.5 million mt/year of SAF by 2023. Neste is also becoming a key producer of renewable diesel.

Neste has committed to reaching carbon neutral production by 2035. This includes "a commitment to reduce and compensate emissions from its employees' business travel through the use of the company's own sustainable aviation fuel," it said.

Finnair has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2045, and to halve its net CO2 emissions by the end of 2025.