Frequently Asked Questions

‘Sustainable Aviation Fuel’, or ‘SAF’, refers to jet fuel that is produced from renewable, sustainable feedstocks, rather than being refined from petroleum. SAF is a so-called ‘drop-in’ fuel, which means that after blending the neat SAF with conventional fossil jet fuel, the blended SAF requires no special infrastructure or equipment changes. Our blended SAF is fully Jet A/A-1 compliant as it is certified to ASTM D1655, DEFSTAN 91-091, and/ or EI-JIG 1530 AFQRJOS ‘checklist’, and has the same characteristics and specifications as conventional fossil jet fuel.

Currently, SkyNRG supplies SAF that’s produced using the HEFA-technology, with sustainable resources, like waste oils. However, we are continuously looking for new feedstock-technology combinations that meet the technical specifications and our sustainability criteria.

Currently, aviation accounts for approximately 2% of all manmade global CO2 emissions. That figure could rise to as much as 22% by 2050 due to the sector’s anticipated rapid growth and forecasted emission reductions in other sectors. In order to address the environmental impact and providing a solution to maintain the industry’s growth path, the aviation industry has committed to reducing net aviation carbon emissions by 50% below 2005 levels in 2050.

More than 99% of airline emissions and approximately 50% of airport emissions are related to the combustion of jet fuel. Although increased energy efficiency and reduction in energy demand are effective ways to reduce fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions, these improvements do not offer a sole solution to aviation-related emissions.

Since aircraft are not able to switch to alternative energy sources (like hydrogen or electricity) in the foreseeable future, aircraft will remain to rely on liquid fuels. Therefore, sustainable aviation fuel made from renewable feedstock is one of the most important to significantly reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and at the same time also reduce the dependency on the petroleum industry.

Next to reducing CO2 emissions and increasing energy security, sustainable aviation fuel offers many more benefits to airlines, companies, airports, governments, and travelers worldwide. More information can be found on the sustainable aviation fuel page.

Not yet. Today SAF always requires to be blended with conventional fossil jet fuel to meet the Jet A/A-1 specifications.

The maximum blend percentage is prescribed in the ASTM D7566 quality standard and ranges from 10% to 50% depending on the production process. Once the neat (unblended) SAF has been blended with fossil jet fuel, the resulting fuel blend is indistinguishable from conventional fossil jet fuel and meets the same specification as conventional jet fuel: it has become a drop-in fuel.

For more information on the production process visit the page that describes our supply-chain.

No, blended SAF is a ‘drop-in’ fuel that is compliant with conventional jet fuel specifications and can be used in existing jet fuel infrastructure and engines.

The SAF supplied by SkyNRG is a so-called ‘drop-in’ fuel. Once the neat (unblended) SAF has been blended with fossil jet fuel, the resulting fuel blend is indistinguishable from conventional fossil jet fuel and meets the same specification as conventional jet fuel: it has become a drop-in fuel. This means no modifications are required in the aircraft systems, engines and the fuel distribution system.

Yes. The SAF supplied by SkyNRG is certified to the same jet fuel standards as conventional fossil jet fuel (ASTM D1655, DEFSTAN 91-091 and/or EI-JIG 1530 AFQRJOS ‘check list’) and therefore meets the same quality and safety requirements.

As a matter of fact, many commercial SAF flights have already been supplied by SkyNRG and operated by airlines like KLM, Qantas, Finnair, Air Canada, LAN Chile and South African Airways.

Before a new type of sustainable aviation fuel can be used in aviation, the new fuel is intensively tested by aircraft and engine OEMs (original equipment manufacturers, such as Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, GE, etc.) on many thermal and chemical characteristics. In the end the entire avitioan related ASTM community will need to approve the new type of SAF based on the test results. Only after that approval the new type of jet fuel can be used in aviation.

With CO2 compensation, fossil fuels are still being used and emission reduction is indirectly realized in other sectors. However, by using SAF, emissions are directly reduced and no compensation is required afterward.

So, the difference lies in where and when the CO2 emission reduction is realized. With CO2 compensation, a company or airline continues to emit CO2 by using fossil fuels but indirectly claims CO2 emission reductions by investing in sustainability projects in other sectors, such as creating new forests. When using SAF, a company or airline is no longer emitting fossil-based CO2 and hence directly reducing its CO2 emissions right where it matters!

Currently, most of SkyNRG’s SAF is produced by World Energy Paramount in California, US, from where we can supply all our customers worldwide.

World Energy Paramount is the first and only bio-refinery in the world with dedicated production capacity for SAF, using the HEFA-technology. This makes World Energy Paramount a key partner for SkyNRG in supplying customers and scaling-up the use of sustainable aviation fuel.

SkyNRG has pioneered the first commercial SAF downstream supply chains. In these initial deliveries (2011-2017) we have always worked with a multitude of downstream logistics operators, depending on the region/airport and customer requirements. This has worked well, and SkyNRG has built up an impressive track record for safe delivery of on-spec sustainable SAF.

Since 2018 we have entered into a long-term partnership with Shell Aviation, to ensure we can deliver our product in an even more efficient way to the airport of choice for our customers.

SkyNRG has its operations RSB (Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) certified and is structurally advised by its independent Sustainability Board.

The Sustainability Board consists of leading NGO’s and scientists, advising on all feedstock decisions, communication strategy, policy implications, and growth strategies. Members of SkyNRG’s sustainability board are representatives of WWF-International, Solidaridad Network, European Climate Foundation, and the University of Groningen.

For more information visit our sustainability page.