Australia’s Qantas Airways has announced plans to use biofuel in its aircraft that stop at Los Angeles International airport.
From 2020, the carrier intends to use a blend of 50% renewable fuel and 50% regular jet fuel in its aircraft flying from LA airport to Australia, following the Qantas Group’s successful domestic biofuel trial flights in 2012. Compared to standard jet fuel, the biofuel produces around half the carbon emissions per gallon over its life cycle.
CEO of Qantas International and Freight, Gareth Evans, said the commercial biofuel agreement is the first of its kind in Australian aviation history. An agreement has been signed to purchase eight million gallons of renewable fuel every year for the next ten years from US-based company SG Preston.
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“The partnership with SG Preston is part of our commitment to lowering carbon emissions across our operations and sees us becoming the first Australian airline to use renewable jet fuel on an ongoing basis,” Evans said.
Director of Environment for IATA, Michael Gill commended Qantas and SG Preston on the new deal. “IATA congratulates Qantas and SG Preston on this landmark agreement, being the first commercial biofuel offtake for an Australian airline,” he remarked. “Deals such as these are critical to the development of an aviation biofuel sector globally and the achievement of the aviation industry’s climate goals.”
