Air Canada buys 78m litres of Neste SAF

Air Canada has signed an agreement to buy 77.6 million litres of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as part of its commitment to its climate goals.

This marks the airline’s first commercial SAF import to Canada, with initial deliveries to Vancouver starting next month and more through 2025.

Given the limited global SAF supply, Air Canada has joined Canadian industries to advocate for a cost-competitive, domestic SAF supply.

This initiative aligns with the airline’s ambition for net-zero emissions by 2050 and supports its “Leave Less Travel Program” for eco-conscious corporate partners.

Although some additional capacity is coming online, the current global SAF supply remains very limited and costly, and can only satisfy a very small fraction of worldwide demand.

In 2024, IATA announced that even a tripling of SAF production in 2024 would still only account for 0.53% of aviation’s total fuel requirements in 2024.

Air Canada along with other major Canadian companies, has been engaged with governments in Canada to advance the availability of SAF and encourage support for the development of a cost-competitive Canadian-made supply of SAF for commercial aviation.

Achieving this will require a regulatory approach that balances demand with supply, in order for aviation to decarbonise through energy transition while mitigating impacts on consumers.

Canada is uniquely positioned to lead in the production of SAF with its abundant renewable feedstocks, advanced refining capabilities, and innovative technology providers, according to C-SAF.

By leveraging these strengths, the country can create a resilient supply chain that not only supports its environmental goals but also drives economic growth and job creation.