Pelorus launches sustainable aviation fuel scheme for eco-conscious travellers
Green-thinking customers of the aspirational travel company can now reduce their flight emissions by purchasing sustainable aviation fuel, thanks to a new partnership announced today…
Tailor-made travel and yachting specialist Pelorus has signed a pioneering partnership with Neste, a leader of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.
While many eyes today are closely following the first transatlantic flight by a large passenger plane using sustainable aviation fuel, this partnership means that the travel operator’s customers can contribute to the widespread adoption of one of the most advanced emission reduction technologies available.
The travel company, founded by ex-British army captains Jimmy Carroll and Geordie Mackay Lewis, is already celebrated for creating extraordinary itineraries that take travellers to the most remote and culturally diverse places on earth. This scheme Pelorus clients control of their climate impact with a SAF solution developed under the aviation guidance of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the gold standard for ambitious corporate climate action.
Aviation accounts for approximately two per cent of global CO2 emissions, and as air travel is expected to double in the next 15 years, these numbers will grow rapidly.
As the transition to a low-carbon economy gathers pace, Pelorus says it is committed to playing a pivotal role in the scale of solutions aimed at decarbonising the travel industry.
Sustainable aviation fuel is a renewable aviation fuel that provides a more sustainable alternative to conventional, fossil-based jet fuel. Neste’s SAF is made from sustainably sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste.
Covering CO2 emissions of a flight
How does the scheme work? When booking their holiday, Pelorus clients can choose how much CO2 emissions of their flight they wish to reduce by purchasing SAF to replace the fossil fuel. Then, using a pay it forward concept, Neste calculates how much SAF equals to the emission reduction, and the fuel will be entered the wider SAF distribution network to ensure that a flight, if not the client’s own, benefits from a carbon emission reduction, by the amount purchased.
Pelorus clients can actively decrease their carbon dioxide emissions (CO2e) by replacing fossil fuels with Neste MY SAF, which reduces carbon emissions over the fuel’s lifecycle by up to 80%, compared to conventional fossil jet fuel.
Pelorus says that this pay it forward model makes it one of the pioneering luxury experiential travel companies to offer SAF with every booking, regardless of airline or departure airport – something the company wishes to become a standard in the industry.
Neste MY SAF is already in production and available to use today. SAF works on current aircrafts and infrastructure as it complies to the same standards as fossil jet fuel. It means there is no need to design or build new aircraft or set up a parallel fuel infrastructure, as you would need to with hydrogen powered or electric planes.
A bilateral approach to climate change
In addition to SAF, Pelorus addresses its client’s remaining emissions via donations to Pelorus Foundation’s Climate Investment Fund. This carbon capture credit portfolio contributes to the advancement of carbon removal technology as well as nature projects with a strong community impact – supporting the scale of solutions needed to accelerate climate action.
By supporting this initiative in conjunction with SAF, Pelorus says it hopes to underscore the pressing need for decisive action in the atmosphere when it comes to the future of travel. The fund has already supported soil carbon sequestration in Mongolia, agroforestry in Indonesia, mangrove restoration in Kenya, international kelp blue carbon development and enhanced rock weathering.