Starting in 2025, Aemetis, a US biofuels startup, will deliver over 20 million gallons of mixed SAF each year to Qantas flights. The sustainable fuel will be manufactured at Aemetis' factory in Riverbank, California, which is now under construction. It will be made from waste-derived certified feedstock, which will then be blended with regular jet fuel.
The arrangement comes after Qantas and one-world partners agreed last year to look at acquiring SAF from Aemetis for usage out of Californian airports.
According to the Xinhua news agency, the sustainable fuel would be used to help cut carbon emissions on Qantas flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Australia.
This is Qantas' second large SAF purchase outside of Australia, with flights from London already utilising a sustainable fuel blend since the beginning of the year.
Qantas previously agreed to buy ten million litres of SAF in 2022, with the option to buy another ten million litres in 2023 and 2024.
"Using sustainable aviation fuel on our planes is the single most important thing we can do to cut our emissions immediately," Joyce added.
SAF emits up to 80% less pollutants than regular jet kerosene and is compatible with Qantas' current fleet.
