The MAC joins MN Sustainable Aviation Fuel Hub

The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) joined a first-of-its-kind coalition that launched Aug. 29 in Minnesota to scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial aviation.

Led by GREATER MSP, the Minnesota SAF Hub includes a prominent roster of corporate, government and regional institutions to collaborate on strategies to produce, process and deliver SAF on a scale that will significantly offset or replace the use of conventional jet fuel.

MSP hub carrier Delta Air Lines, Ecolab, Xcel Energy and Bank of America are the anchor partners in the MN SAF Hub. The State of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota and the MAC are supporting partners.

“Our SAF Hub will accelerate progress toward decarbonizing the airline industry nationally while also creating thousands of good jobs across Minnesota,” said president and CEO of the GREATER MSP Partnership, Peter Frosch. “It is good news that some of the world’s most innovative companies are combining forces to build SAF production at the scale the market demands and at a pace the climate requires.”

SAF is widely recognized by the airline industry as a strategy to reduce carbon emissions. However, production is severely limited to meet current and future demand.

SAF can flow through existing pipelines to airline users at MSP Airport. That’s a crucial link to the MAC’s own sustainability goals.

“We are excited to be a supporting member for the GREATER MSP partnership to scale up SAF in Minnesota, with the potential to become a leading SAF hub in the country,” said Emmy Waldhart, MAC’s sustainability manager. “It is amazing to see companies, government and institutions banding together to reduce the carbon impact of the airline industry, while understanding air travel demand is projected to grow in the coming decades.”

The MAC is committed to reducing greenhouse gases by 80% from buildings and operations by 2030, and then reaching net zero by 2050. The MAC is also pursuing “Level 3” in the Airports Carbon Accreditation Program by 2025, which requires the MAC to engage with airlines on carbon emissions.