In partnership with its branded fuel supplier, Avfuel Corp., Telluride Regional Airport became the first fixed base operator (FBO) in Colorado to make sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) available to its customers.

The FBO received its first demonstrative delivery of SAF from Avfuel on Feb. 27, with two following in March.

Telluride Regional Airport has since begun to receive regular deliveries of Neste’s branded SAF supply from Avfuel—Neste MY SAF. The first load arrived on April 15; each truckload of Avfuel’s Neste MY SAF provides a 22-metric-ton reduction in carbon emissions over its lifecycle, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by 28.7 acres of U.S. forests per year. SAF is the most effective way to reduce a flight’s carbon footprint; and, in the future, SAF could deliver up to 80 percent less greenhouse gas emissions versus traditional jet fuel if used in its neat form.

With the arrangement, Telluride Regional Airport can now consistently provide SAF for all jet and turbine aircraft that fly in to the airport in order to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainability goals.

“Our community desires to do its part in reducing carbon emissions,” said Kenneth Maenpa, Telluride’s airport manager. “As such, we are proud to be the first airport in Colorado to provide sustainable aviation fuel. Avfuel has worked diligently on the logistics for delivering SAF to Telluride Regional Airport, and we’re excited to announce this significant milestone that’s been three years in the making.”

Keith Sawyer, Avfuel’s manager of alternative fuels, said, “Avfuel is thankful for the true partnership it has with the Telluride Regional Airport team, working together to provide cleaner solutions in one of the world’s most stunning natural environments. We congratulate the airport on being the first to provide SAF in the state of Colorado, which not only provides significant emissions reductions, but also raises awareness on the environmental benefits and safety of the product.”  

Neste MY SAF is made from sustainably sourced, renewable waste and residue materials—such as used cooking oil. It is a fully approved drop-in fuel that, once blended with petroleum jet fuel, meets ASTM D-1655 specification for conventional jet fuel and performance standards under all operating conditions. This makes Neste MY SAF an optimum solution to directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft, requiring no new investments, modifications or changes to the aircraft, fuel distribution procedures or airport fuel storage tanks.