SkyNRG, a provider of sustainable jet fuel, and Carbon War Room (CWR), a global nonprofit organization formed by Sir Richard Branson, have partnered with the Port of Seattle, the operator of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Washington, to investigate long-term financing mechanisms that could supply all airlines at the airport with sustainable aviation fuels. Sea-Tac claims to be the first airport in the world to begin looking at supplying an airport-wide sustainable aviation fuel supply for all routine airline operations.
John Creighton, commission president at Port of Seattle, said, “The demand for sustainable aviation fuel is there, but right now it is more expensive and complicated to source. We want to make it simple and cost-effective for all airlines to access sustainable aviation fuels and ideally create a model that can work for airports around the USA.”
Currently, biofuel supply agreements in the USA are made through individual and often expensive contracts between producers and airlines. This new partnership aims to accelerate the transition of sustainable aviation fuel from an alternative product used by a few select airlines, to a standard product that is used by all airlines at the airport.
CWR and SkyNRG will work with Sea-Tac to evaluate specific funding mechanisms to cover any cost difference between sustainable aviation fuels and conventional fuels. The long-term ambition includes strategizing with decision makers regarding locally sourced fuel and future regional economic investments, identifying supply routes for the sustainable aviation fuel, and ensuring that any alternative fuels used at Sea-Tac are truly sustainable, avoiding both competition with food and impact to habitat.
Theye Veen, chief financial officer, SkyNRG, said, “Airports are in a unique position, operating at the intersection between airlines, fuel suppliers, governments, passengers and local communities. They are perfectly positioned to support sustainable aviation fuels’ transition from isolated transactions to regular operations.”