Boeing's SAF& strategy towards a net zero future
I interviewed Chris Raymond, Boeing's Chief Sustainability Officer on why he's betting big on SAF
I enjoyed attending the Sustainable Aerospace Together Forum by Boeing and the Financial Times in Seattle this week in person. There, I managed to grab some time for a 1-1 chat with Chris Raymond, Boeing’s Chief Sustainability Officer, to discuss why Boeing is betting big on sustainable aviation fuels ahead of other technologies and how it is working.
Specifically, Chris shared that Boeing has a four-pronged approach to sustainability:
Fleet Renewal
Operational Efficiencies
Renewable Energy
Advanced technology
Of the above, while fleet renewal is taking place with new aircraft deliveries and operational efficiencies being achieved continuously, renewable energy is the big question mark.
The SATF focused on answering the questions around SAF supply, pricing and demand over the long term. As Chris says, the ecosystem needs to work together to help scale up SAF.
In fact, for over a decade, Boeing has been busy preparing for the future, whether through its ecoDemonstrator flight test program or its dynamic data model called Cascade for estimating a pathway to net zero or through its impressive repertoire of cross-sectoral partnerships. This was shared in a previous podcast interview by Sheila Remes, VP of Sustainability at Boeing.
While Boeing’s plan differs from Airbus’ and Embraer’s, as one of the largest manufacturers, Boeing has a responsibility to bring the multiple industry players together to create a net zero future for the industry.
This is what they tried to do with the first SATF in Seattle, which was well-attended, and the discussions were productive. I will be sharing some of the key insights from the Forum in upcoming articles as well.