Special to the Transcript
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) continues to advance its commitment to reducing aviation emissions and supporting the industry’s transition to lower-carbon flight, with a strong focus on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as a critical pathway.
As part of this effort, Flavio Leo, Director of Planning and Strategy at Massport, joined leaders from MIT, Delta Air Lines, and Lydian Labs for a panel at the two-day ClimaTech conference. The session, Fueling the Future of Flight: Why SAF, Why Now, Why Massachusetts?, moderated by Massport’s Chief Climate & Resilience Officer Jill Valdés Horwood, explored how SAF is produced today, what is needed to increase supply, and the practical steps to expand its availability in the years ahead.
Now in its third year, ClimaTech is the premier event for technology, business, policy, academia, and finance leaders to come together and drive real climate impact.
“Massport is committed to playing a leading role in advancing Sustainable Aviation Fuel as a key pathway to reducing aviation emissions,” said Chief Climate & Resilience Officer Jill Valdés Horwood. “Engaging in conversations like this panel with industry, academic, and innovation partners is essential to moving from ideas to action and accelerating real progress across the sector.”
As part of its efforts on SAF, Massport has launched the Massachusetts and New England Regional SAF Hub to bring together airports, airlines, academic institutions, industry leaders, and policymakers. The initiative is designed to strengthen collaboration, share knowledge, and identify practical opportunities to help advance SAF production and use across the region.
Complementing this work, Massport has also partnered with state agencies and regional stakeholders to convene the Massachusetts SAF Working Group, which recently released a report outlining five key recommendations to support early SAF delivery to regional airports and lay the foundation for a regional SAF industry. These include undertaking a regional logistics planning study, establishing a regional SAF Hub, promoting existing state programs that support emissions reduction and climate technology, advancing legislation to fund a SAF tax credit, and convening a Regional SAF Alliance across the Northeast.