Delta Air Lines achieves a major milestone as Detroit and Minneapolis-St. Paul airports receive their first-ever pipeline delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Delta’s Push for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Reaches New Heights in Michigan and Minnesota

Delta Air Lines has achieved a historic milestone by delivering sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the first time to two of its major hubs: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). This marks the first occasion SAF has reached either airport via pipeline, underscoring Delta’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and fostering sustainable travel options.

The achievement is part of Delta’s collaboration with the Minnesota SAF Hub coalition, which aims to create an end-to-end value chain for SAF production and distribution. The fuel, derived from Minnesota and North Dakota-grown winter camelina, reflects Delta’s and the SAF Hub’s ability to leverage regional resources and cross-sector partnerships to advance greener air travel.

Winter Camelina: A Key Component in Delta’s Sustainability Strategy

Delta’s SAF delivery stems from a year-long initiative that saw the cultivation of 2,000 acres of winter camelina, a promising oilseed crop, by Cargill and farmers in Minnesota and North Dakota. After harvesting, the camelina was processed and refined into SAF at Montana Renewables, LLC before being transported to Delta’s hubs. The SAF entered the fueling infrastructure at MSP and was delivered through a Buckeye Partners pipeline to DTW. This comprehensive approach, involving multiple stakeholders, showcases the power of collaboration across the SAF value chain.

Amelia DeLuca, Delta’s Chief Sustainability Officer, highlighted the importance of the achievement: “The delivery of SAF to these key Delta hubs is a monumental step forward, not only for Delta but for the entire aviation sector. Collaboration across all stakeholders is critical to creating a sustainable future of air travel.”

Government Support and the Road Ahead

Delta’s efforts are bolstered by policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and Minnesota’s SAF credit, which help foster investment in SAF production and distribution. The airline’s SAF initiatives are integral to its broader goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Currently, jet fuel accounts for around 90% of Delta’s carbon emissions, making SAF one of the most immediate and effective solutions to reduce its environmental impact.

While SAF remains in limited supply and is not yet cost-competitive, initiatives like the Minnesota SAF Hub demonstrate the potential to scale production and make sustainable aviation a reality. Delta’s recent partnership milestone in creating a large-scale blending facility in Minnesota, set to handle up to 30 million gallons of neat SAF by the end of 2025, represents another step toward a greener aviation industry.

A Critical Step Towards Net-Zero Emissions

Although Delta and the industry face challenges in achieving 100% SAF-powered flights, this milestone reinforces the importance of cooperation among multiple sectors, from growers and processors to transporters and government policymakers. The book-and-claim model employed in past Delta SAF flights to reduce unnecessary emissions highlights the complexity of decarbonization but also points to the innovation required to make aviation more sustainable.

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