Flight to Sustainability: Air NZ's Fuel Delivery

Eco-Friendly Skies Ahead for Air NZ

Air New Zealand has made significant progress towards achieving its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 with the arrival of its first shipment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Wellington. This is the airline’s first delivery of SAF to the nation’s capital city.

The 500,000-liter shipment, equivalent to fuelling 165 A320 flights between Auckland and Wellington, was produced by EcoCeres in China using 100 percent used cooking oil and supplied and blended by Exxon Mobil. This delivery of SAF represents a life-cycle carbon emissions savings of at least 80 percent compared to traditional fossil jet fuel.

Kiri Hannifin, Air New Zealand’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, emphasized the importance of this transition, stating, “Moving away from purely using fossil fuels for Air New Zealand’s operations is critical. This delivery to Wellington is crucial to Air New Zealand’s ongoing efforts to reduce its environmental impact and transition towards more sustainable aviation practices."

Ms Hannifin also mentioned the importance of transitioning away from a high reliance on fossil fuels, especially for a small island nation like New Zealand, where flying is heavily relied upon for domestic and international travel and to support trade and tourism sectors. Furthermore, she highlighted the increasing international momentum around SAF and the plans for future requirements for the uplift of SAF in certain countries.

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts also commented on the encouraging steps taken by the industry as New Zealand transitions to a low-emissions future.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has predicted a significant increase in the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in 2024, and Air New Zealand is actively exploring opportunities for local production of alternative jet fuels.