Delta takes off with eco-friendly fuel grown in Minnesota

Flight uses fuel blended with camelina grown by Minnesota farmers and Cargill.

Delta Airlines made history by powering its first flight with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from camelina, a crop grown in Minnesota and North Dakota.

The fuel was used on a Delta flight departing from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to New York during the city's Climate Week, marking a major step in reducing aviation emissions.

The initiative was led by the Minnesota SAF Hub, a coalition focused on creating a sustainable future for air travel. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the aviation industry accounts for around 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions. SAF has the potential to reduce these emissions, making air travel more eco-friendly.

Minnesota and North Dakota farmers collaborated with Cargill to produce camelina, a winter cover crop that does not displace food crops. The crop’s oil-rich seeds are processed into sustainable fuel. Cargill processed the camelina at a facility in West Fargo and sent the oil to Montana for blending into SAF.

The SAF used in Delta’s flight made up 32% of the total fuel blend, with the flight using about 2,300 gallons of a 7,000-gallon SAF supply. By 2025, a local blending facility in Pine Bend, Minnesota, will be operational, further advancing sustainable fuel production in the region.

This groundbreaking flight highlights the possibilities of decarbonizing air travel and signals the start of a future where sustainable fuel becomes the norm in aviation.

Photo Credit: Delta Airlines