Alaska Airlines and SkyNRG Americas have announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing to surge investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The MOU builds on a long history of Alaska leadership advancing SAF and partners the airline with the global SAF pioneers at SkyNRG Americas.
"This is a critical next step in our long-term plan to reduce carbon emissions and our impact on the planet," said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines' vice president of public affairs and sustainability. "We have been working for more than a decade to advance SAF technology and viability, and we're excited to partner with SkyNRG's experienced team to advance truly sustainable production of SAF, develop supply in the Pacific Northwest, and engage partners for a commercially viable and scalable future for sustainable fuels."
"We are thrilled to collaborate with Alaska Airlines for the production of sustainable fuels," said John Plaza, CEO of SkyNRG Americas. "Alaska Airlines is already one of the most fuel-efficient airlines in the U.S., and an ideal partner not only to support SAF demand but also to help drive necessary policy changes that will encourage the development of the SAF industry across the Pacific Northwest and the nation as a whole."
Under the MOU, SkyNRG Americas will primarily focus on the development of devoted SAF production facilities to supply Western U.S. airports. These facilities will use commercially available technologies that enable the use of municipal solid waste and other waste-based inputs as feedstocks, as well as incorporating green hydrogen and renewable energy for minimizing carbon intensity. Beyond the focus of building out SAF production capacity, SkyNRG Americas and Alaska Airlines will continue to build awareness and understanding of SAF technologies, and advocate for public policies to accelerate the development of the SAF industry and infrastructure.
This partnership builds on the Alaska-Microsoft partnership announced in October 2020, targeting to use SAF to offset Microsoft employee travel between Seattle and San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles.