EBACE Operators Cross Atlantic On Avfuel’s SAJF

May 20, 2019

In an effort to further carbon neutrality goals, Avfuel made sustainable alternative jet fuel available to operators headed to EBACE out of Republic Airport at Sheltair FRG.

Avfuel supplied 8,000 gallons of SAJF to the FBO to fuel transatlantic operators headed to EBACE-dedicated destinations (such as Farnborough, England, Geneva, Switzerland, and others) beginning May 15. Fueling will continue through the evening of Saturday, May 18; at its conclusion, Avfuel anticipates a total of five aircraft represented by high-profile OEMs—Bombardier, Embraer, Gulfstream and Dassault—to have fueled with the sustainable product.

To supply the fuel for this occasion, Avfuel acquired a concentrated delivery of SAJF from Gevo, Inc., and blended it with petroleum-based jet fuel. This mixture was then tested for fuel quality and to ensure it met ASTM D1655 standards—simply making it jet fuel.

The difference is this product has a net benefit to the environment across its lifecycle. Created from corn starch, for every one million gallons of the concentrated SAJF that is produced, approximately 20 million pounds of animal feed and protein is sold into the food chain, and the final jet fuel product burns cleaner, reducing carbon emissions released into the atmosphere.

“Together, we’re making a real environmental difference by fueling with SAJF on the way to EBACE,” said Keith Sawyer, Avfuel’s manager of alternative fuels. “Avfuel’s proud to play a role in that. We’re also thankful to all who helped make this SAJF demonstration possible, including the upstanding Sheltair FRG team and the various operators who committed to fueling with the product. We need more such willing participants in the industry in order to encourage production and overcome the industry’s largest SAJF challenge to date: availability.”

The SAJF initiative at Sheltair FRG is a component of Fuelling the Future, The Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel Initiative: Emissions Reduction through Investment, Innovation whereby three other airports in Europe provided SAJF for EBACE-bound traffic. A figure for total carbon reduction as a result of these efforts is forthcoming.

Those interested in learning more about sustainable alternative jet fuel are encouraged to visit Sawyer and Avfuel’s staff at EBACE in booth E89. Sawyer will also be involved with a technical panel at EBACE and spoke at Farnborough Airport for Fuelling the Future on May 18.

Those not headed to EBACE can visit avfuel.com/Fuel/Alternative-Fuels or contact Sawyer at [email protected] for more information.