Amex GBT reinforces commitment to SAF through new Avelia agreement with Shell Aviation

American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), a leader in business-to-business software and services for travel and expense, and Shell Aviation announced July 18 a new extended agreement to support growth of the Avelia sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program.

Avelia, one of world’s first blockchain-powered book-and-claim platforms for SAF, has more than 30 corporates and airlines participating in the program including Amex GBT customers Bank of America and Google.

The program is one of the first worldwide to receive external greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions-data verification.

More than 10 million gallons of SAF have been injected into the fuel network at nine airports around the world since the program launched.

A $1.4 trillion industry and growing, global business travel has the collective scale and commercial influence to help encourage investment into the production and supply of sustainable fuels and technologies needed to reduce emissions.

Amex GBT noted that Avelia stands out as a book-and-claim program that is delivering significant volumes of SAF into the aviation airport fueling network today.

The program demonstrates that book and claim is a credible mechanism for airlines and corporations to reduce lifecycle emissions with SAF.

This is especially timely in light of the Science Based Targets initiative soliciting input on environmental-attribute certificate (EAC) effectiveness inclusive of SAF and major revisions to the Corporate Net-Zero Standard inclusive of scope 3.

Amex GBT said its recommitment to Avelia through a new agreement sets the program up for continued growth as a proven, accredited and trackable option for corporates to invest in decarbonization.

Launched as a pilot program in June 2022, Avelia is now an established industry solution for reducing CO2 emissions on a lifecycle basis from the aviation industry.

It was developed by Shell and Accenture, with the support of the Energy Web Foundation, together with Amex GBT.

Avelia connects airlines and businesses globally to bridge the cost gap of SAF compared to conventional fuel and open access to its environmental benefits to more parties.

It aims to generate the scale of demand necessary to help the sector transition to net-zero emissions by 2050.

Accomplishments to date

Avelia was the largest SAF book-and-claim pilot at time of launch in June 2022, offering around 1 million gallons of SAF.

The platform has since injected more than 10 million gallons of SAF into the existing fuel network, abating over 90,000 tons of CO2e, the equivalent of around 160,000 passengers flying from London to New York.

Recent regulatory developments such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Climate-Related Disclosure Rules and European Commission’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive require external assurance of certain carbon data.

Avelia is one of the only SAF programs to receive external assurance regarding conformance to carbon-accounting insetting guidelines for SAF (per Smart Freight Centre and MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics) following the approach of ISO 14064-3 (per verification and validation of GHG statements). 

This proves Avelia’s capability in facilitating the delivery of actual SAF into the aviation airport network.

These volumes are part of the agreements signed by more than 30 corporations and airlines to purchase environmental attributes associated with SAF totaling 49 million gallons of SAF to be supplied by Shell up to 2026. 

Once injected into the fueling network, this could potentially bring the total abated CO2e to more than 450,000 tons of CO2e, the equivalent of over 800,000 passengers flying from London to New York.

Avelia transactions include over 600 Declarations of Environmental Attributes associated with SAF supplied then retired on behalf of customers.

The corporations transacting SAF through Avelia include Aon, Bank of America, Google and more—representing leading corporates from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.

Avelia supports businesses operating across technology, finance, cargo, and travel, plus others, in reducing emissions from their air travel while servicing multinationals across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

There are now nine airports around the world where SAF has been injected into the fuel network through Avelia, helping enable access to SAF globally: London Heathrow, Los Angeles, Ontario (California), Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Le Havre France, Singapore Changi and Dubai.

Shell Aviation has signed a multiyear SAF offtake agreement with Montana Renewables, one of the largest SAF producers in North America.

The neat SAF produced by Montana Renewables has been used to fulfil supply agreements at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

What’s next

Amex GBT plans to expand the Avelia program with its growing customer base and marketplace for business travel.

Whereas business travel has been at the forefront of SAF adoption and enablement, the opportunity for broader value-chain activation remains strong: air freight customers, aircraft financiers, aircraft manufacturers, fuel producers and others.

How it works

Avelia receives aggregated demand from Amex GBT’s 20,000 customers across 140 countries, enabling producers to invest in new refineries and technologies, then supplying SAF into the general airline fuel system.

Airlines benefit by having access to environmental attributes associated with fully traceable SAF, while satisfying consumer demands and regulatory requirements.

Corporations meet their sustainability targets by cofunding the purchase of SAF today while committing to cofund increasing amounts in future years helping to drive a step-change in volume.

Avelia technology provides an end-to-end blockchain-powered digital SAF book-and-claim platform with traceable environmental attributes that prevent double counting.

Participating corporates and airlines receive an environmental attribute that can be verified and certified as claimable under carbon-reduction targets and disclosures.

“Avelia’s growth is proof that corporate travel can play a pivotal role in scaling the sustainable technologies needed to address air-travel emissions,” said Amex GBT CEO Paul Abbott. “Extending our SAF partnership with Shell Aviation means our customers can keep working towards their sustainability objectives while we lead the transformational change needed to decarbonize aviation.”

Raman Ojha, the president of Shell Aviation, added, “SAF is the only scalable in-sector solution for decarbonizing aviation. At Shell Aviation, we are pleased to continue our relationship with Amex GBT through Avelia, helping to connect corporate travel demand with SAF supply. It is a great example of cross-value chain collaboration leading to the innovative platforms we need to progress the sustainable future of aviation.”

Avelia is intended to complement and work alongside airlines’ current corporate SAF programs, Amex GBT noted.

It offers a solution that is inclusive and neutral with respect to airlines, technology production pathways fuels and feedstocks.