In the United States (US), Avfuel Corporation—a leading independent supplier of aviation fuel and services—has announced the first delivery of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) out of Port Everglades to Naples Aviation (KAPF) in Naples, Florida (FL).
Naples Airport is located within minutes of downtown Naples, the Gulf of Mexico, and I-75, connecting people to the Paradise Coast.
It is home to corporate aviation, air charter operators, car rental agencies, flight schools, and non-aviation businesses, and a central location for critical public services, including fire/rescue, air ambulance services, mosquito control, the Collier County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit, and other community services.
The delivery marked Avfuel’s first network location to commit to consistent SAF inventory out of this new supply point and proved to be a “monumental moment for two industry leaders who continue to position sustainability at the forefront of their operations.”
This is a huge step forward in scaling SAF distribution and adoption within the business aviation sector. Avfuel is dedicated to making SAF more accessible throughout the United States, and deliveries like this one help further our commitment to supporting the business aviation industry in growing the use of SAF, said Joel Hirst, SVP of Sales at Avfuel.
In addition to offering SAF, Naples Aviation—a prominent leader in sustainability—recently began offering 94-octane unleaded fuel (UL 94) as an environmentally cleaner alternative to traditional aviation gasoline.
Providing cleaner, alternative fuels is important to the Naples aviation community, and it’s our responsibility to provide sustainable options to our customers. We are excited to be the Avfuel Network’s first SAF supply location in the eastern US and look forward to seeing how this drives the industry overall, said Byron Gray, Senior Director of FBO services at Naples Aviation.
SAF supply deal with Valero
The Naples Aviation SAF delivery comes on the heels of an SAF supply agreement between Avfuel and Valero Marketing and Supply Company (Valero), a subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation entered into this October.
The neat SAF—produced by Diamond Green Diesel LLC, a joint venture between a Valero affiliate and an affiliate of Darling Ingredients Inc., out of Port Arthur, Texas (TX)—is made using the HEFA SPK process, meaning it uses lipids—like used cooking oil (UCO)—to produce the fuel, and can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 80 percent when compared to conventional jet fuel.
With target percentages of 30 percent neat SAF and 70 percent conventional jet fuel, this SAF can lower lifecycle GHG emissions by up to 24 percent when compared to conventional jet fuel.
