New JetBlue offtake with SG Preston plans for 670 million blended-SAF gallons over 10 years

Photo: JetBlue

JetBlue has revised an existing offtake agreement with SG Preston for delivery at least 670 million gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over a 10-year period, beginning at the end of 2023. The new agreement between the airline and the biofuel startup doubles its previous SAF commitment with SG Preston, first announced in 2016.

According to the airline, SG Preston will deliver the blended SAF to its flight operations in New York and New Jersey. JetBlue stated this deal is the airline’s largest single jet-fuel contract.

“SG Preston has made significant progress on a new facility in the Northeast to produce SAF at a large scale,” JetBlue stated. “SG Preston’s HEFA- (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids) based renewable jet fuel will be sustainably produced from waste fats, oils, greases, and nonfood oilseeds. The fuel is expected to receive sustainability certification from ISCC, an independent, global certification body for sustainability and carbon reduction. SG Preston’s process utilizes industry-leading refining process technology, which has been FAA-approved for commercial flying since 2011. This SAF will be blended with Jet-A fuel at an estimated 30 percent blend ratio before being transported to JFK, [LaGuardia], and [Newark Liberty International Airport].”

According to JetBlue, the new deal with SG Preston puts the airline on track to exceed its 2030 target of making 10 percent of its total fuel usage SAF “on a blended basis” by reaching nearly 8 percent at the end of 2023.

The revised agreement with SG Preston is JetBlue’s third SAF agreement. JetBlue recently entered into a new relationship with World Energy and World Fuel Services and began flying with SAF at LAX in July. Additionally, JetBlue partnered with Neste in August 2020 to fuel its flights from San Francisco with SAF.

JetBlue stated it plans to convert 30 percent of its fuel buy across JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty airports from traditional jet fuel to SAF.