Boeing announced that it had doubled its purchase of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) for commercial operations this year.
The American planemaker said in a statement that it has agreements to purchase 5.6 million gallons (21.2 million litres) of blended SAF produced by Neste to support its US commercial operations through 2023.
These agreements more than double the company's SAF procurement from 2022.
"We are demonstrating our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint and catalyze the SAF industry," said Sheila Remes, Boeing vice president of Environmental Sustainability.
"This SAF procurement makes up 25% of Boeing's total jet fuel needs for last year, including our production, delivery, Boeing ecoDemonstrator, and Dreamlifter flights, and we aim to increase that portion in the years to come."
Boeing noted that the purchase agreements include a supply of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™, which is blended with conventional jet fuel at a 30/70 ratio to produce the blended SAF.
Neste MY SAF is made from 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as cooking oil and animal fat waste and meets strict sustainability criteria.
EPIC Fuels and Signature Aviation company will provide 2.3 million gallons, and Avfuel will supply 300,000 gallons of this blended SAF for the Boeing ecoDemonstrator flight test program and the company's commercial sites in Washington state and South Carolina.
Boeing said it is also purchasing an additional 3 million gallons of the same blended SAF from EPIC Fuels and Signature Aviation, generating emissions reduction credits for commercial deliveries, Dreamlifter and executive flights.
Boeing noted that these benefits are generated by a book-and-claim process that displaces petroleum jet fuel with SAF in fueling systems outside the company's fuel supply.
In 2021, Boeing committed to delivering its commercial airplanes capable and certified to fly on 100% SAF by 2030.
SAF reduces CO2 emissions by as much as 80% over the fuel's life cycle with the potential to reach 100% in the future and is widely recognized as offering the greatest potential to decarbonize aviation over the next 20 to 30 years.
Made from several feedstocks, SAF is certified for commercial use and can currently be blended up to 50% with traditional jet fuel without modifications to airplanes, engines or fueling infrastructure.
