Neste and the Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group have signed an agreement for the purchase of 1,000 tons of neat Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel. This will make SIA and Scoot, the two airlines in the Group, the first carriers to receive sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), produced at Neste’s refinery in the country, at Changi Airport.

Neste will blend the SAF with conventional jet fuel according to the required safety specifications*, and deliver the blended jet fuel to Changi Airport’s fuel hydrant system in two batches – once in the second quarter of 2024 and once in the fourth quarter of this year. 

This milestone will also mark the first direct supply of Neste’s SAF to airlines at Changi Airport, reinforcing their end-to-end SAF supply chain capabilities in Singapore. This follows the completion of the expansion of Neste’s Singapore refinery in May 2023. The refinery has the capacity to produce 1 million metric tons of SAF each year, making it the world’s largest SAF production facility.

Neste’s SAF, which is made from 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%** over the fuel’s life cycle. Blended with conventional jet fuel, it seamlessly integrates with existing aircraft engines and fueling infrastructure.

“This agreement with Neste is an important milestone in the SIA Group’s journey to have a minimum of 5% sustainable aviation fuel in our total fuel uplift by 2030. Close collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, both in Singapore and globally, plays a critical role in our long-term decarbonization goals. A more sustainable aviation industry will ensure that future generations continue to benefit from the global connectivity, economic prosperity, and people links that air travel fosters,” said Lee Wen Fen, chief sustainability officer, Singapore Airlines. 

“We are proud that Singapore Airlines and Scoot are our first customers benefiting from our integrated supply capabilities into Changi Airport. This supply of locally produced SAF to Changi Airport is a milestone in our journey of supporting the aviation industry and governments in the region to achieve their emissions reduction goals. Singapore is a leading aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific region and this delivery of SAF, as well as the recently announced national SAF target, will hopefully encourage the wider adoption of SAF across the broader Asia Pacific region. We are looking forward to expanding our cooperation with Singapore Airlines as well as supplying visiting carriers at Changi airport,” said Alexander Kueper, vice president renewable aviation at Neste.

*) The blended SAF fuel will meet the safety specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), an international standard for conventional jet fuel quality.

**) The reduction of lifecycle carbon emissions of up to 80% referred to above is when SAF is used in neat form (i.e. unblended) and calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as the CORSIA methodology. The calculation includes both production and transport emissions.