Major corporates join forces to purchase sustainable aviation fuel certificates at scale

For the first time, companies including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Meta and clean energy nonprofit RMI are joining together through the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) certificates at scale.

This leap forward from previous individual SAF certificate purchases by corporations dramatically strengthens the demand signal aviation customers are sending to the SAF market.  

SAF is a drop-in fuel made with renewable or waste feedstocks that can significantly reduce the carbon pollution from flight. Currently, SAF makes up less than 0.1% of global jet fuel supply and sells at a significant premium to fossil jet fuel.  

The SAF involved in the SABA transaction is produced by World Energy and reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by 84% compared to conventional jet fuel. SABA members are purchasing SAF certificates linked to 850,000 gallons of this high-integrity SAF, which is being used to fuel JetBlue flights this year. 

Adam Klauber, VP Sustainability & ESG at World Energy, said: “World Energy is honored to be the fuel producer for SABA’s first aggregated SAF purchase. At this pivotal moment SABA plays an important role in addressing aircraft emissions by cultivating trust in SAF and making corporate actions to decarbonize aviation possible."

SABA, whose membership comprises several of the most ubiquitous names in corporate travel, was formed by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and RMI to accelerate the path to net zero aviation by building the system needed to credibly scale investment in and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel. 

Following the successful completion of this first joint procurement, SABA is launching its second competitive procurement process where it seeks to procure SAF certificates across a five-year timeframe. This second process will be open to all airlines and fuel providers. SABA expects to increase its annual collective demand by more than 10 times compared to this first process.  

SABA members will also be piloting a new registry to bring more transparency, consistency, and integrity to the emerging SAF certificate market. Building trust in the certificate system is crucial to convincing more companies to purchase SAF certificates. 

Sara Bogdan, Director of Sustainability & ESG at JetBlue, said: “SAF is the most meaningful way we have to decarbonize the aviation industry, but it will take many stakeholders working together to bring the supply and cost of SAF where we need to meet our net zero goals."

"We’re incredibly proud of the SAF commitments we’ve already made as an organization, but the collaboration and investment by businesses like those within SABA are what will supercharge our transition to SAF by allowing us to increase our offtake while also supporting those businesses’ own sustainability goals.” 

Find out more here.