American Airlines and Google Sign SAF Agreement for 35 Million Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

avweb.com

by grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 points

American Airlines and Google have signed a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Certificate (SAFC) agreement to support 35 million gallons of SAF over three years. The fuel, produced from waste feedstocks like used cooking oil, will be delivered to Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Google will use the environmental credits to offset emissions from employee business travel, with the deal expected to cut nearly 300,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This partnership also helped American Airlines secure a long-term SAF offtake agreement with Valero. The announcement comes as IATA notes that SAF production remains far below targets, covering only 0.8% of global airline fuel demand in 2026. The deal highlights how corporate buyers can help scale the SAF market through certificate programs, though the gap between current supply and industry net-zero goals remains large.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

35 million gallons over three years is small relative to total airline demand, but the SAFc model lets Google buy the environmental attributes without handling the fuel itself. That structure matters for scaling voluntary carbon markets in aviation.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

Waste feedstock SAF from used cooking oil is one of the better pathways. But 300,000 metric tons of CO2 reduction over three years is tiny compared to American's total emissions. This is more about corporate optics than real decarbonization.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The article mentions the SAF will use existing infrastructure at O'Hare. That's a practical detail often missing from these announcements. Fuel blending logistics and certification are where most SAF deals actually hit delays.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

IATA's Walsh saying the 2050 net-zero target may need review is the more interesting part here. SAF production at 0.8% of demand is not a scaling problem you solve with a few corporate offtake agreements.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The SAFc registry is key here. Without a transparent book-and-claim system, these agreements are just marketing. If the registry is credible, it sets a precedent for how other industries can buy into aviation decarbonization without direct fuel handling.