Delta Cargo announced a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) initiative to “help grow the supply and availability of SAF” and to allow customers of the airline’s cargo division to reduce their carbon footprint.
“Through customized contributions to the Delta Cargo SAF program, freight forwarders and shippers can attain their sustainability goals,” Delta announced. “Delta Cargo’s SAF program is certified and audited by Ruby Canyon Environmental, an expert in greenhouse gas emissions accounting, and our SAF is International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) certified. The program also offers flexible purchase options to make it easy for customers to purchase SAF and achieve their sustainability goals.”
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), sustainable aviation fuel is the most effective strategy to reduce aviation emissions directly. When compared to fossil fuels, bio-based jet fuel manufacturing is a renewable method that may cut life cycle emissions by up to 75%.
Delta committed to carbon neutrality
Delta has been an industry leader in addressing the environmental impact of air travel and became the world’s first airline to commit to carbon neutrality, starting March 1, 2020.
That commitment included plans to spend $1 billion over the next 10 years to reduce all emissions from its global operations, as part of its effort to achieve net zero carbon emissions. The airline said it will invest in driving innovation, extending sustainable air transport technologies, reducing carbon emissions and waste, and establishing new emissions-balancing initiatives.
In February 2021, Delta and global consulting company Deloitte signed an SAF agreement covering a percentage of Deloitte’s business flights. The agreement represents a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions of roughly 1,000 metric tons and allows Deloitte experts to travel more sustainably through Delta’s facilitation of the purchase of sustainable fuel, Delta said.
Delta said it engaged in a separate SAF supply arrangement with Neste, to power its SAF agreement with Deloitte. As Delta explained, Neste’s SAF is a drop-in fuel derived from sustainably sourced, renewable waste and leftover materials that allows for immediate reductions in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft.
