Virgin Australia Leads Effort to Use Gevo Renewable Jet Fuel at the Brisbane Airport in Queensland,
Virgin Australia Leads Effort to Use Gevo Renewable Jet Fuel at the Brisbane Airport in Queensland, Australia
195 Flights Using Gevo's Renewable Jet Fuel Departed from Brisbane Airport
Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) announced today that Gevo and Virgin Australia Airlines, with the support of the Queensland Government, have accomplished another industry first by being the first to supply renewable jet fuel into a commercial airport infrastructure in Australia. Like the Fly Green Day at Chicago O'Hare International Airport in 2017, Gevo's renewable jet fuel was supplied using the general fuel system at Brisbane Airport. Gevo's renewable jet was used to fuel approximately 195 domestic and international flights departing from the Brisbane Airport this week. In October 2017, Gevo announced the collaboration with Virgin Australia that culminated with the flights this week using Gevo's renewable jet fuel.
In the Virgin Australia press release, Virgin Australia Airlines Group Executive, Rob Sharp, said the airline was proud to lead the delivery of sustainable aviation fuel into the fuel infrastructure at Brisbane Airport.
Mr. Sharp stated, "Virgin Australia is leading the way in the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel in Australia. We recognise that there is a great opportunity to develop a thriving sustainable fuels industry, which will help to reduce emissions and drive investment and jobs growth in Australia. The successful completion of the trial at Brisbane Airport is the first important step in ensuring Australian airports and the fuel supply chain will be ready for the regular supply of sustainable fuels in Australia."
"We would like to thank the Queensland Government and our partners for their involvement and look forward to fueling more flights departing from Brisbane Airport with biojet over the next 12-18 months," Mr. Sharp said.
The Virgin Australia press release continued with comments from the Queensland Premier, the Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk. She said she was pleased with the work that had been undertaken with the trial to progress developing a local biofuels industry in Australia.
"This is another step forward in a homegrown biofuels industry - one that my government is supporting. Our own biofuels producers have a ready customer in Virgin Australia and I look forward to their co-operation growing," Premier Palaszczuk said.
Patrick R. Gruber, Chief Executive Officer of Gevo, offered his congratulations and commented on the potential of renewable resource-based jet fuel produced in Queensland. "Congratulations to Virgin Australia and the Queensland Government for their vision and leadership. Gevo recognizes that Australia, and Queensland, in particular, have great potential to produce renewable low-carbon jet fuel from a variety of raw materials. The establishment of production capabilities for renewable jet fuel in Australia would not only be good for economic growth, leveraging the abundant raw materials, but more importantly it could lead to domestic jet fuel production which could reduce Australia's dependence on imported jet fuel. We look forward to continuing to work with Queensland, Virgin Australia, feedstock suppliers, and other partners in Australia to make Queensland-based production of renewable jet fuel a reality," said Patrick R. Gruber, Chief Executive Officer of Gevo.