Aer Lingus will buy green aviation fuel from US supplier Aemetis at San Francisco airport from 2025, according to the Irish carrier’s owner, International Airlines Group (IAG).
Aviation has pledged to use more sustainable fuel in a bid to cut the greenhouse gas emissions for which the industry is regularly criticised.
IAG said on Monday that from 2025 Aer Lingus and its sister carrier British Airways would buy sustainable aviation fuel from Aemetis to help power flights from San Francisco.
Renewables specialist Aemetis is building a factory at Riverbank, California, that significantly cuts aviation fuel’s “carbon intensity”.
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Aer Lingus and British Airways will buy a total of 78,400 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel over seven years from the US company.
IAG predicts that this will cut carbon dioxide emissions by up to 248,000 tonnes, the equivalent of taking more than 16,000 cars off the road.
Jonathon Counsell, IAG’s head of sustainability, said the airline group had so far committed to $865 million (€870 million) in green aviation fuel purchases and investments.
“We see great potential to develop a long-term partnership with Aemetis, which is at the cutting edge of producing low-carbon fuels from sustainable wastes,” he added.
IAG plans to use 10 per cent sustainable aviation fuels by 2030 and intends to be zero carbon by 2050.
Aer Lingus will contribute to this by using sustainable fuel and through buying more efficient aircraft.
California-based Aemetis is a renewable natural gas, fuel and biochemicals company focused on commercialising products that replace petroleum and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
