Aemetis Signs Agreement with Finnair to Supply 17.5 Million Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Rhea-AI Summary

Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) has signed a seven-year offtake agreement with Finnair for 17.5 million gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), valued at approximately $70 million. The SAF, comprising 40% SAF and 60% Petroleum Jet A, will be produced at Aemetis' renewable jet/diesel plant in Riverbank, California, with deliveries starting in 2025. This contract is part of a larger $2 billion initiative by the one world Alliance to reduce aviation's environmental impact, supporting Finnair's goal for carbon neutrality by 2045.

Positive

• Secured a $70 million contract with Finnair for 17.5 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel.
• The contract is part of a $2 billion initiative with one world Alliance members to reduce aviation's carbon footprint.
• Production facility in Riverbank, California, will utilize renewable sources and sequester CO2, further enhancing sustainability.

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• None.

Fuel to be delivered to San Francisco International Airport

CUPERTINO, CA, March 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -  Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX), a renewable fuels company focused on negative carbon intensity products, announced today that an offtake agreement has been signed with oneworld Alliance airline member Finnair for 17.5 million gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) to be delivered over the 7 year term of the agreement.  The value of the contract including incentives is approximately $70 million.

Sustainable aviation fuel provides significant environmental benefits compared to petroleum jet fuel, including a lower lifecycle carbon footprint and reduced contrails. The blended sustainable aviation fuel to be supplied under this agreement is 40% SAF and 60% Petroleum Jet A to meet international blending standards. 

“Finnair has set an ambitious long-term target to fly carbon neutral in 2045 and SAF is an important part of the toolkit for reaching this target. Supporting SAF adoption is key to boosting the supply and demand for SAF and for increasing its usage in commercial aviation. The agreement also underlines the oneworld Alliance’s commitment to collectively source SAF,” says Eveliina Huurre, SVP Sustainability at Finnair.

The sustainable aviation fuel is expected to be produced by the Aemetis renewable jet/diesel plant under development on a 125 acre former U.S. Army Ammunition production plant site in Riverbank, California. The blended sustainable aviation fuel is scheduled to begin deliveries to Finnair in 2025.

“The supply of sustainable aviation fuel to Finnair is a part of $2 billion of contracts with oneworld Alliance members to reduce the environmental impact of aviation,” stated Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “Our production of low carbon aviation fuel in California is made possible by the historical success of the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, creating new investment and jobs in disadvantaged minority communities in the state.” 

Powered by 100% renewable electricity, the Aemetis Carbon Zero production plant at the Riverbank plant site is designed to sequester CO2 from the production process using injection wells, significantly reducing the carbon intensity of the renewable fuel.

About Aemetis

Aemetis has a mission to transform renewable energy with below zero carbon intensity transportation fuels. Aemetis has launched the Carbon Zero production process to decarbonize the transportation sector using today’s infrastructure. 

Aemetis Carbon Zero products include zero carbon fuels that can “drop in” to be used in airplane, truck, and ship fleets. Aemetis low-carbon fuels have substantially reduced carbon intensity compared to standard petroleum fossil-based fuels across their lifecycle. 

Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Aemetis is a renewable natural gas, renewable fuel and biochemicals company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of innovative technologies that replace petroleum-based products and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Founded in 2006, Aemetis has completed Phase 1 and is expanding a California biogas digester network and pipeline system to convert dairy waste gas into Renewable Natural Gas. Aemetis owns and operates a 65 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in California’s Central Valley near Modesto that supplies about 80 dairies with animal feed. Aemetis also owns and operates a 50 million gallon per year production facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin for customers in India and Europe.  Aemetis is developing the Carbon Zero sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel fuel biorefineries in California to utilize distillers corn oil and other renewable oils to produce low carbon intensity renewable jet and diesel fuel using cellulosic hydrogen from waste orchard and forest wood, while pre-extracting cellulosic sugars from the waste wood to be processed into high value cellulosic ethanol at the Keyes plant. Aemetis holds a portfolio of patents and exclusive technology licenses to produce renewable fuels and biochemicals.  For additional information about Aemetis, please visit www.aemetis.com. 

Safe Harbor Statement 

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events or other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements relating to the development and construction of the sustainable aviation and renewable diesel fuel projects, our compliance with governmental programs, and our ability to access markets and funding to execute our business plan.  Words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “showing signs,” “targets,” “view,” “will likely result,” “will continue” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions and predictions and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties.  Actual results or events could differ materially from those set forth or implied by such forward-looking statements and related assumptions due to certain factors, including, without limitation, competition in the ethanol, biodiesel and other industries in which we operate, commodity market risks including those that may result from current weather conditions, financial market risks, customer adoption, counter-party risks, risks associated with changes to federal policy or regulation, and other risks detailed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and in our subsequent filings with the SEC.  We are not obligated, and do not intend, to update any of these forward-looking statements at any time unless an update is required by applicable securities laws.

External Investor Relations
Contact:
Kirin Smith
PCG Advisory Group
(646) 863-6519
ksmith@pcgadvisory.com

Company Investor Relations/
Media Contact:
Todd Waltz
(408) 213-0940
investors@aemetis.com

FAQ

What is the value of Aemetis' contract with Finnair for sustainable aviation fuel?

The contract with Finnair is valued at approximately $70 million.

When will Aemetis start delivering sustainable aviation fuel to Finnair?

Deliveries of sustainable aviation fuel to Finnair are scheduled to begin in 2025.

What percentage of the fuel supplied to Finnair will be sustainable aviation fuel?

The fuel supplied will be a blend of 40% sustainable aviation fuel and 60% Petroleum Jet A.

What is Aemetis doing to support carbon neutrality in aviation?

Aemetis is supplying sustainable aviation fuel as part of a $2 billion initiative with one world Alliance members to reduce aviation's environmental impact.