New sustainable aviation fuel agreement will reduce Bombardier flight ops emissions by 25 per cent

A landmark agreement will see all of Bombardier’s flight operations activity covered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) beginning in January 2023.

On Oct. 17, Bombardier and Signature Aviation announced a multi-year agreement for the purchase of SAF using the Book & Claim system. The commitment is the first of its kind for a business aviation original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and reinforces Bombardier’s commitment to the promotion, adoption and widespread use of SAF.

“More of our customers are using SAF and so must Bombardier – we must all share in the responsibility for a sustainable future,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Executive Vice President Services and Support, and Corporate Strategy. “We believe that taking action today allows us to have maximum impact on the sector as a whole and on the production of SAF.”

Under the Book & Claim system, a user located near a SAF production site uses SAF in their flights. The greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction credits associated with this use are claimed, in exchange for the additional cost of SAF, by another user located at a site where SAF is not available.

"To generate the environmental benefits associated with SAF now and to contribute to its widespread use, we will initially use the Book & Claim system, which ensures rigorous accounting of greenhouse gas emission reductions while optimizing the logistics,” said Gallagher.

The agreement will apply to all Bombardier flight testing, certification, customer demo and after-service check flights. In total, this initiative will reduce the annual GHG emissions associated with Bombardier flight operations by approximately 25 per cent – a significant gain.

“Signature Renew’s Book & Claim program is business aviation’s most pragmatic approach to making the lowest overall carbon intensity SAF quickly and easily accessible,” explained Tony Lefebvre, Chief Executive Officer for Signature Aviation.

“Over the last two years, Signature has grown our SAF supply points to 17 global airports, or around 10 per cent of our total network of private aviation terminals. But, until we reach the milestone of SAF at every one of our terminals’ fuel farms, Book & Claim gives critical coverage to gaps in supply while immediately taking greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. Bombardier’s implementation of its ambitious sustainability plans demonstrates how any fleet operator, big or small, can tackle the challenge of their aircraft’s emissions through bulk carbon reductions, created right here in business aviation.”

The new agreement supports Bombardier’s goal to reduce GHG emissions from all its operations by 25 per cent by 2025, compared to 2019 levels. Bombardier’s 2025 objective is a step in line with the business aviation industry's goal of achieving a net carbon neutral footprint by 2050.