Air Canada buys ‘low carbon’ jet fuel from B.C. refinery

Parkland’s Burnaby refinery has made a groundbreaking announcement that Air Canada has purchased a batch of “low carbon aviation fuel” produced from non-food grade canola and tallow. This marks a significant step in the effort to reduce carbon emissions in the aviation industry.

The refinery has successfully produced approximately 100,000 liters of the low-carbon fuel using its existing infrastructure. This fuel will be blended into around 10 million liters of standard fuel. Parkland is proud to be the first company in Canada to produce such a fuel.

According to Parkland, a short-haul flight typically consumes about 2,500 liters of fuel, depending on various factors such as flight distance, aircraft type, and cargo weight. Air Canada’s President and CEO, Michael Rousseau, emphasized the importance of creating a domestic supply of low-carbon fuel, as the Canadian airline industry currently relies on imports.

During a recent news conference, Parkland’s senior vice-president, Ferio Pugliese, explained that the production of low-carbon fuel is more expensive than traditional jet fuels. He stressed the need for a long-term plan and support from the Canadian government to sustain production.

Commercial aviation giant Airbus has highlighted the potential for low-carbon jet fuel to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%. However, the production of such fuel is still in its early stages, with only 600 million liters produced last year, accounting for just 0.2% of all aviation fuel.

UBC researcher Jack Saddler acknowledged the small scale of Parkland’s production but emphasized the importance of taking the first step towards decarbonizing the aviation sector. He noted that using alternative feedstocks like canola or soy can reduce carbon emissions by about 50%.

Pugliese emphasized the need for a long-term Canadian solution for sustainable aviation fuel, highlighting the higher production costs in Canada compared to other countries. He called for government support to incentivize the development and use of low-carbon jet fuel.

Parkland’s efforts to develop low-carbon fuel began in 2017, and the entire first production batch has already been purchased by Air Canada. Pugliese sees this as a successful demonstration of a made-in-Canada solution to a global challenge, emphasizing the importance of government intervention to support the aviation industry’s decarbonization efforts.

The CEO of WestJet, Alexis von Hoensbroech, has also emphasized the challenges of decarbonizing the aviation sector, noting that alternative energy sources like electric or hydrogen for aircraft are still far from reality. Without government intervention, the push to decarbonize commercial aviation by 2050 could result in increased airfares.

In conclusion, Parkland’s production of low-carbon aviation fuel marks a significant milestone in the quest for sustainable air travel. Government support and long-term planning are crucial to driving the adoption of low-carbon fuels and reducing carbon emissions in the aviation industry.