US carrier JetBlue Airways Corp said on Wednesday it would buy sustainable aviation fuel from bioenergy firm SG Preston for more than $1 billion and use it for flights from New York‘s airports.
SG Preston will start delivering the fuel in 2023 over a 10-year period, the company said. JetBlue aims to convert 10% of total fuel usage to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) — made from feedstocks such as used cooking oil and animal fat — on a blended basis by the end of the decade.
Airlines have been under pressure from environmental groups to lower their carbon footprint, with the Biden administration setting targets to boost SAF output and help the domestic aviation industry shift away from traditional fuels.
JetBlue also said SAF will be blended with traditional jet fuel at an estimated 30% ratio, and will be used for its operations at John F Kennedy International airport, LaGuardia airport and Newark Liberty International airport. The move comes after United Airlines, earlier this month, outlined a purchase agreement for 1.5 billion gallons of SAF over 20 years from Alder Fuels.