For the first time in Minnesota and Michigan’s aviation history, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has been delivered via pipeline to Delta hubs at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) and Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW). The shipments, each exceeding 7,000 gallons, were produced from winter camelina grown in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Cargill collaborated with local growers to plant 2,000 acres of camelina. The harvested crop was processed at Cargill’s West Fargo facility before being refined into SAF by Montana Renewables, LLC. Shell Aviation then transported the SAF directly to fueling facilities at MSP and DTW. Delta covered the costs associated with using SAF on its flights from these airports.
Amelia DeLuca, Delta’s Chief Sustainability Officer, stated: “The fact that SAF has been delivered to MSP and DTW is monumental because not only is it the first time SAF has arrived at these airports, both of which are important Delta hubs, but it also demonstrates why collaboration across the entire SAF value chain is so important – we need all the right stakeholders and partners at the table to drive results.”
This initiative was supported by policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and Minnesota’s SAF credit. Delta continues advocating for government incentives to enhance production and make SAF more cost-competitive.
Delta aims for net-zero emissions by 2050. Currently, about 90% of its carbon emissions stem from jet fuel use. While there isn’t enough SAF produced today to meet global airline demands for a week, efforts in Minnesota and Michigan are crucial for scaling up production.
The Minnesota SAF Hub, with Delta as an anchor partner, announced plans for a blending facility capable of processing up to 30 million gallons of neat SAF annually by late 2025. This facility represents progress toward establishing a large-scale end-to-end SAF value chain in the U.S.
Though limited supply means airlines cannot rely solely on locally-produced SAF yet, initiatives like “book and claim” models allow airlines to claim usage rights without physically transporting fuel long distances.
Delta acknowledges that achieving decarbonization requires collaborative efforts across industries. The work of entities like the Minnesota SAF Hub could provide a replicable model for expanding SAF production nationwide.
