Frequently asked questions related to SAF
We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). In this FAQ, we aim to provide you with comprehensive information about SAF and how it can help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from aviation*.
*)When verified to fulfill the mandatory sustainability criteria in accordance with e.g. ReFuelEU, CORSIA, neat i.e. unblended SAF, provides greenhouse gas emission savings over its life cycle when compared to fossil fuel. While SAF and fossil jet fuel release similar amounts of CO2 during flight, SAF’s life cycle climate impact is smaller than fossil jet fuel’s. SAF is certified for commercial use and can currently be blended up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.
Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™
What is sustainable aviation fuel?
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a renewable aviation fuel, made from renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel has lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions* over its life cycle compared to conventional fossil jet fuel.
Neste MY SAF can be used as a drop-in fuel as it is compatible with existing aircraft engines and airport fuel infrastructure, requiring no extra investment or modifications. Prior to use, Neste MY SAF is blended with fossil jet fuel up to 50% and certified to meet ASTM jet fuel specifications.
Read more about Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel
*Neat, i.e. unblended, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel fulfills the ReFuelEU Aviation criteria, including the requirement to provide at least a 65% greenhouse gas emission savings over its life cycle when compared to fossil fuel. While SAF and fossil jet fuel release similar amounts of CO2 during flight, SAF’s life cycle climate impact is smaller than fossil jet fuel’s. SAF is certified for commercial use and can currently be blended up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.
What is Neste's SAF made of?
Neste's SAF is produced from renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. Neste is innovating new raw materials and technologies enabling their use. We are, for example, exploring novel vegetable oils from regenerative agricultural concepts and lignocellulosics (forestry waste).
How is Neste's SAF made?
Neste produces SAF with its proprietary NEXBTL™ technology which allows the use of almost any waste fat or vegetable oil to produce SAF and other renewable products. It is based on HEFA-technology, currently the commercially most viable technology to produce SAF. Neste currently only uses used cooking oil and animal fat waste to produce SAF.
Where is Neste's SAF produced and what is the production capacity?
Neste has a global SAF production capability of 1.5 million metric tons (about 515 million gallons) per annum at our refineries in Finland, Singapore and Netherlands. This will grow to 2.2 million tons per annum in 2027 .
How does Neste source raw materials for SAF?
Neste's SAF is produced from renewable waste and residue raw materials such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. Neste sources raw materials from over 70 countries around the world. We expect the global availability of waste and residue oils and fats to exceed 40 million tons per annum by 2030.
Is Neste developing new raw materials?
Neste is innovating to bring new SAF production pathways to life. We are focusing on promising new raw materials and technologies enabling their use such as novel vegetable oils from regenerative agricultural concepts and lignocellulosic raw materials (forestry waste).
How is SAF used?
SAF is a drop-in fuel that can be used in existing aircraft engines once blended with conventional jet fuel. SAF can be blended up to 50% with conventional jet fuel before use meeting ASTM jet fuel specifications. After blending the fuel is transported to the airport and ready to be used as a certified regular jet fuel in aircraft.
Read more about Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel
What is the environmental impact of SAF?
SAF is a lower-climate impact alternative* to conventional, fossil-based jet fuel, helping the aviation industry address its GHG emissions and work towards its climate targets. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel has lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions* over its life cycle, compared to conventional, fossil jet fuel.
In addition, SAF can also reduce the non-CO2 impact of aviation. During flight, aircraft emit a range of other substances, commonly referred to as non-CO₂ emissions. These emissions, such as soot, affect atmospheric chemistry and can act as a basis for the formation of persistent contrail-cirrus clouds contributing to a net-warming effect that scientific research suggests is as significant as the impact of CO2 itself**.
Due to its chemical composition, using SAF reduces particulate emissions, reducing the likelihood of contrail formation which has a net-climate warming effect.
Read more about Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel
*Neat, i.e. unblended, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel fulfills the ReFuelEU Aviation criteria, including the requirement to provide at least a 65% greenhouse gas emission savings over its life cycle when compared to fossil fuel. While SAF and fossil jet fuel release similar amounts of CO2 during flight, SAF’s life cycle climate impact is smaller than fossil jet fuel’s. SAF is certified for commercial use and can currently be blended up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.
***Due to the chemical composition of SAF, its use leads to reduction in soot emissions from combustion and formation of contrail ice crystals, demonstrated with 100% SAF; 2024. R. S. Märkl et al. “Powering aircraft with 100% SAF reduces ice crystals in contrails.
Which airlines are currently using Neste MY SAF?
Neste MY SAF is used by leading commercial airlines in Europe, North America and Asia including Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, IAG, Finnair, American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, ANA, JAL as well as cargo carriers such as DHL Group, Amazon, FedEx and UPS.
Read more about Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel
SAF for companies
What are the benefits of purchasing SAF via Neste service to address my company’s GHG emissions?
The most effective way to reduce aviation emissions would be to reduce flying. Since that’s not always possible, another option is to choose sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF is a solution for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in aviation*. Purchasing SAF via our service “allows you to go the extra mile”, as it goes beyond what is, or will be, required by regulations and mandates. The SAF Certificate you will receive from us after the SAF has been delivered and consumed is verified by an independent third party and can be used as evidence for your Science Based Target Initiative verification.
*) Neat, i.e. unblended, Neste’ SAF fulfills the mandatory sustainability criteria, including greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements over its life cycle compared to fossil fuel in accordance with e.g. ReFuelEU, CORSIA or RFS. While SAF and fossil jet fuel release similar amounts of CO2 during flight, SAF’s life cycle climate impact is smaller than fossil jet fuel’s. SAF can currently be blended up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.
How can I calculate my company’s aviation emissions?
For calculating your company’s aviation emissions, we recommend the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) industry-leading practice for Passenger CO2 Standard Methodology. For air freight, we recommend to follow the methodology published by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Carbon Emissions Calculator Methodology Air Freighter (Version 1, September 2023) and the IATA recommended practice 1678 on Cargo CO2 Emissions Measurement Methodology. Some private platforms can support you to estimate your business travel and air freight emissions based on their own database (e.g. EcoTransit, Pledge, myClimate, Atmosfair, etc).
How do I address my company’s aviation emissions by purchasing SAF?
SAF has lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions* over its life cycle compared to fossil jet fuel. As part of the SAF purchase, you will receive GHG emission reduction reporting documents audited by a third party. You can use this in your carbon emission reduction target reporting**. Practical guidelines for using the customer delivery report come as part of your SAF purchase.
*) Neat, i.e. unblended, Neste’ SAF fulfills the mandatory sustainability criteria, including greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements over its life cycle compared to fossil fuel in accordance with e.g. ReFuelEU, CORSIA or RFS. While SAF and fossil jet fuel release similar amounts of CO2 during flight, SAF’s life cycle climate impact is smaller than fossil jet fuel’s. SAF can currently be blended up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.
**) When verified by Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTI).
Will my flight fly with SAF after my purchase?
After you have made your SAF purchase, Neste delivers the SAF to one of the partnering airlines, who will then fuel their planes and fly with that SAF. You can purchase SAF from anywhere in the world, but planes with Neste SAF will only be fueled at a few designated airports at the moment to avoid unnecessary transportation of SAF. While the plane you board may not fly with SAF, you will be supplied with an SAF delivery report once your SAF has been used by one of our partner airlines. This way, you are aware that the fuel has been delivered to an airline, emission reductions have been achieved, and you know that your action had an impact on the aviation industry’s carbon footprint.
How can I trust Neste Impact, the calculations, and the reporting I receive?
At Neste, we ensure the transparency and credibility of Neste Impact by following the latest standards and frameworks for SAF, such as SBTIs aviation sector guidance. Nonetheless, companies need to confirm the GHG reduction target claim directly with their assurance company and e.g. SBTI. In practice, emission reductions are verified by a third party to ensure:
A clear chain of custody - specific purchased SAF volumes are directly linked to you and partner airlines.
Proof of sustainability - based on certification SAF standards
Pure additional volumes - offering additional GHG emission reduction to parties involved beyond regulatory schemes
Exclusive ownership of environmental attributes - no selling forward of the fuel/bio-attributes of emissions
Accurate scope accounting and book-keeping - SAF is not double-counted across reporting or customers. This is done in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Want to know more? Read more about Neste’s audit.
How do I ensure the emissions my SAF purchase reduces aren’t double counted and claimed?
Our SAF delivery and transaction process is audited by a third party from end to end to verify that the integrity of our service is, to ensure only one party claims the SAF in your purchase.
The audit scope includes verification that:
The SAF has been certified according to an EU voluntary scheme up until the point of delivery to Neste’s distribution terminal location, and Neste has removed the sustainability attributes.
The airline has self-declared its SAF consumption, and SAF is not considered the volume under any renewable fuel mandate or obligation.
The airline has reported Scope 1 emissions and that its Scope 3 emissions are dedicated to one end-customer only.
The auditor confirms that there has been a clear chain of custody on the transfer of fuel and the corresponding emission reduction claims between different parties involved in this transaction.
The certification Neste uses is EU-compliant ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification), which registers, tracks, and traces all SAF credit transactions. ISCC provides customers with a credit retirement declaration displaying details regarding the SAF delivery and emission reduction, which can be used for sustainability reporting.
Why is SAF expensive? Why and how does Neste Impact add value for my business?
Our service offers a credible, real and direct emission reduction* and comes with guidelines for how to report the reduced emissions. The price includes the fuel.
*) When verified by Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTI)
How does emission reduction with SAF differ from offsetting?
By purchasing SAF, you can impact the emissions created by aviation directly. Carbon offsetting broadly refers to the partial compensation of a company's carbon footprint out of its value chain, usually through land restoration or the planting of trees. As a consequence, the emissions created by the aviation industry remain the same. By using SAF, you can directly impact aviation-related carbon emissions within its own sector and make realistically toward your sustainability targets*.
**) When verified by Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTI).