JetBlue Partners with AIR COMPANY to Advance Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
JetBlue announced a new collaboration with AIR COMPANY, an innovative carbon technology company that creates carbon-negative alcohols and fuels from carbon dioxide (CO2), to accelerate its transition to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
To create its novel AIRMADE™ sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), AIR COMPANY has designed and deployed a single-step process for CO2-derived fuel production using renewable electricity. JetBlue's memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AIR COMPANY follows JetBlue's venture capital arm, JetBlue Ventures, making a direct capital investment in AIR COMPANY's Series A investing round.
JetBlue has announced its intention to purchase 25 million gallons of AIRMADE™ SAF over five years, beginning in 2027. AIR COMPANY joins JetBlue's growing list of SAF collaborations as it works toward its objective of converting 10% of its overall fuel usage to SAF by 2030.
Sara Bogdan, director of sustainability and environmental social governance, JetBlue, said:
"SAF is one of the most promising avenues for addressing aviation emissions currently available. With creative thinking backed by science, AIR COMPANY’s work to leverage captured carbon, a resource distinct from other SAF feedstocks, represents the kind of innovation that can expand SAF availability and grow the market necessary to reach our industry goals. We’re excited to build upon this partnership established by JetBlue Ventures as we continue our own path to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.”
On a lifecycle basis, currently available SAF reduces emissions by around 80% per net gallon. AIR COMPANY's carbon-neutral fuel made from captured CO2 not only goes a step further, giving an additional 14% reduction for AIR COMPANY or a total GHG reduction of 94%, but it also uses an abundant and freely available resource as a feedstock, eliminating feedstock constraints. This innovation provides another way to commercial feasibility for SAF at scale, which will be critical to the aviation industry's net-zero aspirations.
JetBlue was the first U.S. airline to fly regularly on product supplied by both commercial SAF providers currently operating in the domestic market, and the company continues to support the emerging SAF market with major commitments from other producers as it expands its SAF mix. JetBlue believes that with regulatory support and investment in SAF, the industry can achieve the economies of scale required to create a positive feedback loop, increasing SAF supply and driving competitive pricing required to encourage the aviation industry's transition to sustainable aviation fuel.
Gregory Constantine, CEO and Co-Founder of AIR COMPANY, said:
"Our goal at AIR COMPANY is to create solutions that work with the environment, rather than against it. Our CO2-derived SAF has the ability to not only burn neutrally but importantly leverages an infinite resource as our feedstock. We’ve partnered with JetBlue to supply the airline with 25 million gallons of our AIRMADE™ SAF, contributing to the complex tapestry of SAF solutions in our fight against anthropogenic climate change.”
Using the same proprietary technology that mimics photosynthesis to create consumer ethanol, AIR COMPANY has developed and deployed its single-step process for CO2-derived fuel production using renewable electricity. The value of AIR COMPANY’s technology and its potential to rapidly scale SAF supply by creating renewable fuels from captured CO2 can also be seen in its list of launch partners which include respected organisations across multiple industries, including military and commercial aviation.
Source: Business Wire
