Progress at 35,000 feet
Airlines are using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Shell that can help reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% when substituting for conventional jet fuel.* Together – progress is starting to take off.**
From roots to runway
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), made from renewable or waste-based sources like beef tallow, cover crops and agricultural waste, is an alternative to jet fuel, and is a drop-in fuel, which can be blended at a ratio of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel for use in aircraft engines today1.
One emerging source of feedstock used to produce SAF is winter camelina.
With its history going back at least 3000 years, historically, winter camelina’s oil was used for cooking and fuel, and its meal fed to livestock. Winter camelina has a short season and is winter hardiness, so farmers can integrate it into existing cropping systems, such as corn and soybeans, potentially providing an additional cash crop on land that may otherwise remain unsown.
Winter camelina also has the potential to provide ecosystem benefits, such as reducing soil erosion and nutrient runoff, enhancing microbial communities, and providing food for pollinators in early spring2.
Winter camelina is harvested in the spring and sold by farmers for the oil from the camelina seeds. Winter camelina can then be processed and refined into sustainable aviation fuel.
Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Air Lines"As Delta enters its centennial year, Delta is focused as ever on driving long-term impact as Delta aspires to net-zero emissions by 2050. SAF is the greatest near-term lever to help achieve Delta’s decarbonization aspirations, which is why suppliers like Shell are so crucial as we strive to connect people to a more sustainable future of travel"
Scaling SAF for journeys today and for the future
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, approximately 45,000 flights3 take off from the U.S. each day and the aviation industry’s path to decarbonization will require a combination of solutions. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) offers an immediate and commercially scalable option with up to 80% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, on a lifecycle basis, relative to conventional jet fuel* without having to make changes to the existing infrastructure or aircraft engines today4.
According to the International Airport Transportation (IATA), global SAF production is expected to reach 0.7% of global aviation fuel consumption in 20255. There are still many challenges before SAF can be deployed at a larger scale including technological readiness, the availability of sustainable feedstocks, and cost6.
Powering Progress Together: Delta, Shell, and SAF
Frequently asked questions
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*Reduction in full lifecycle carbon emissions when used neat, compared with conventional jet aviation fuel. Source: IATA. Availability of SAF and delivery method vary by location.
**Currently, SAF can be blended up to 50% by volume with conventional jet fuel. Global SAF production is expected to reach 0.7% of global aviation fuel consumption in 2025. Source IATA
Footnotes
1 https://www.iata.org/en/programs/sustainability/sustainable-aviation-fuels/
2 https://forevergreen.umn.edu/crops/winter-camelina
3 https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/by_the_numbers
5 https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2024-releases/2024-12-10-03/
6 https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/saf-guidance-potential-policies
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