Neste and Boeing join forces to commercialise renewable aviation fuels

Renewable diesel producer Neste and aircraft manufacturer Boeing have partnered to promote and accelerate the commercialisation of renewable aviation fuel.

The companies will work toward American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) fuel standard approval allowing the commercial use of high freezing point renewable aviation fuel by airlines. The goal is also to gain widespread market acceptance for renewable aviation fuels, and to progress sustainability accreditation efforts.

'Airlines and airplane manufacturers are undertaking several initiatives to lower the industry's carbon footprint, and renewable aviation fuel will be a key part of their long-term environmental solution,' says Kaisa Hietala, Neste's executive VP of renewable products.

In 2014, Boeing successfully tested Neste's renewable aviation fuel in a 15% blend with petroleum jet fuel in the Boeing ecoDemonstrator 787, a test aeroplane that assesses technologies that can reduce aviation's environmental footprint. The 787 made an initial flight with this biofuel blend in one engine, followed by several flights with the biofuel blend in both engines. Based on its test flights, Boeing reported that 'the airplane performed as designed with the renewable jet blend, just as it does with conventional jet fuel'.