Aviation has been a lifeline for decades, connecting people, cultures, and businesses worldwide. But that connection comes at a cost: the industry is one of the hardest to decarbonize.

Enter World Energy, the world’s first commercial-scale producer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). They’re not just making greener jet fuel—they’re pioneering a whole new way to bring new customers into the market for carbon reduction. This bold approach helps companies slash supply chain emissions without owning or operating aircraft.

We sat down with LeeAnn Baronett, World Energy's Vice President of Marketing and Communications, to discuss how they’re reshaping the industry.

In this conversation, we explore:
✈️ How World Energy is scaling SAF and expanding into renewable fuels like green hydrogen
🌍 The game-changing concept of "decarbonization as a service"
🤝 Why partnerships with Microsoft, DHL, and others are key to accelerating SAF adoption
🔮 The future of clean energy—from green steel to outcome-based thinking

Aviation’s next chapter is being written now. Join us as we uncover how World Energy is leading the way toward a more sustainable future.

Dunja Jovanovic: Can you introduce yourself and share your role at World Energy?
LeeAnn Baronett: Of course. My name is LeeAnn Baronett, and I’m the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at World Energy. We are a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biofuels producer.

DJ: Can you tell us more about World Energy's mission and impact?
LB: We began with biodiesel, which evolved into renewable diesel and eventually sustainable aviation fuel. In 2016, we became the world’s first commercial-scale producer of SAF. We’re now exploring other renewable fuels like renewable naphtha and green hydrogen. But what I’m most excited about is our new business model, which brings unexpected customers into the market and delivers SAF as a service (not just a fuel). This model allows companies to address emissions in their supply chains that would otherwise be out of their control. [further explanation here and 2 questions below]

DJ: For those unfamiliar, what exactly are biofuels and renewable fuels, and why are they important?
LB: Biofuels and renewable fuels are made from renewable resources and contain no fossil feedstocks—no crude oil at all. The fuels we produce are "drop-in solutions," meaning they can be used with existing aircraft engines without any modifications. Our SAF, for example, reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 85%. Beyond reducing emissions, these fuels also lead to cleaner air and water by lowering particulate matter and other pollutants.

DJ: You mentioned SAF as a service. Can you explain what that means and why it’s innovative?
LB: We’re giving companies tools to lessen their environmental impact while remaining competitive. Many companies, like Microsoft, have made sincere commitments to reducing their supply chain emissions. However, they don’t control the planes, their goods, or the people who fly on them. Decarbonization as a service allows them to reduce their transport emissions without owning or operating aircraft. We decouple the environmental benefits of SAF from the physical fuel and sell them as separate products—specifically, SAF certificates that companies can purchase to offset their aviation emissions. This is made possible by a digital chain of custody tool called Book & claim.

DJ: Selling a product based on emissions reduction must come with challenges. How do you navigate that?
LB: The nature of SAF certificates is indeed a unique challenge. We’ve drawn inspiration from other renewable energy models like community solar, where people pay for solar energy generated at a farm, even if the electricity they use doesn’t come directly from solar panels. Similarly, our SAF certificates represent emissions reductions, even if the buyer isn’t directly using the fuel. Emissions saved anywhere are emissions saved everywhere. And thanks to the book & claim tool, even though you can’t physically see emissions reductions, you can quantify them and track them and know that what SAF as a service is delivering is very real.

DJ: Do you have a success story that showcases the impact of your work?
LB: Yes, over the past few years, we’ve partnered with 21 companies on SAF certificate deals. Collectively, these companies have purchased three million metric tons of decarbonization via SAF certificates. To put that into perspective, that’s equivalent to nearly nine and a half million passenger trips from JFK to LAX—about six or seven years' worth of flights on that route.

DJ: What trends are shaping the clean energy industry right now?
LB: The idea of decoupling environmental attributes from physical fuel is a major trend. The SAF certificate concept was only developed in 2021 by the World Economic Forum and RMI, a nonprofit I used to work with. We’re seeing increased adoption of this model in other sectors, like maritime shipping and green steel. It’s exciting to watch the ecosystem—registries, standards bodies, auditors—come together to support this model.

DJ: Cost is often a barrier to clean energy. How do you address that?
LB: Our business model helps by creating a virtuous cycle. SAF is more expensive than traditional jet fuel, and airlines operate on thin margins, making it hard for them to bear the cost alone. By separating the environmental benefits from the fuel, we open up a new market of customers—companies committed to sustainability who can afford to pay for those benefits. This shared cost model increases demand, boosts investor confidence, leads to more SAF facilities, increases supply, and eventually lowers prices.

DJ: How do you communicate this unique value proposition to stakeholders?
LB: Educating stakeholders is a huge part of what we do. We’re shifting the focus from transactions to outcomes—specifically, decarbonization. There’s inherent value in cleaner air, water, and land, and consumers are increasingly demanding clean products. We also ensure our system operates with high integrity—transparent, traceable, and verifiable—to prevent double counting and maintain trust.

DJ: How important are partnerships in your work?
LB: Partnerships are crucial. We’ve partnered with over 21 companies to reduce aviation emissions in their value chains. For example, Microsoft is a key partner in addressing emissions from global operations. We also work with companies like DHL and are part of the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance, a collective of companies pooling resources to purchase large quantities of SAF certificates. We supply about two-thirds of the fuel for their deals.

DJ: How do you leverage events like Climate Week for networking and stakeholder engagement?
LB: Events like Climate Week are invaluable. We hosted a session there on our business model and SAF certificates. These gatherings are opportunities to collaborate, share knowledge, and build the ecosystem needed to advance decarbonization. It’s about going far together, not fast alone.

DJ: For companies just starting to market their sustainability initiatives, what advice would you give?
LB: Hire strong communicators who can translate complex topics into accessible language. Your marketing team should be as knowledgeable as your technical team. Also, focus on providing value to your audience. Meet people where they are, address their challenges, and engage them with useful, relevant content. Thought leadership and education are key.

DJ: As we wrap up, what excites you most about the future of decarbonization and clean energy?
LB: I’m excited to see our business model gain traction and expand to other sectors like green steel. At World Energy, we’re producing more SAF than ever before, with lower carbon intensity scores, which means greater decarbonization with less fuel. I’m also looking forward to growing our partnerships and continuing to lead in this space.

DJ: Are there any emerging technologies or industry shifts you think will be transformative soon?
LB: I believe the shift toward outcome-based thinking—using your dollar to achieve decarbonization outcomes rather than just transactions—will be transformative. I’m particularly excited about applying this model to sectors like green steel, where consumers can directly support clean manufacturing through their purchases.

Planes keep the world connected, but their emissions are a problem. Can aviation truly go green? That’s what we’re going to talk about today on the Green New Perspective podcast.

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Hello friends, and welcome to this wonderful place on the internet where we talk about innovative technologies reshaping our world—and the marketing strategies fueling growth in this space. If you like what we do here, please consider subscribing to our channel on your favorite streaming platform. We’re everywhere: YouTube, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts. We publish both video and audio, so you can choose how you want to tune in.

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Today, we’re focusing on the aviation industry. Why? Because it’s one of the toughest industries to decarbonize. But World Energy is taking that challenge head on. They’re producing sustainable jet fuel at a commercial scale and helping companies reduce their carbon footprint.

I’m hosting Leanne Baronet, VP of Communications and Marketing at World Energy, to discuss how they’re shaking up the sector.

This episode of Green New Perspective is brought to you by New Perspective Marketing. For over 20 years, New Perspective has helped future-focused B2B tech companies grow by building thought leadership, attracting better-qualified leads, and driving pipeline growth. If you’re ready for smart strategies and measurable results, visit npws.com to learn more.

Q: Leanne, welcome to the Green New Perspective podcast! To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at World Energy?

Hi everyone. My name is Leanne Baronet, and I’m the Vice President of Communications and Marketing at World Energy.

Q: What is World Energy’s mission and impact?

We started as a biodiesel producer in 1998. Over the past 30 years, we’ve evolved into a major biofuels manufacturer, primarily operating out of our facility in Paramount, California.

We’ve moved from biodiesel to renewable diesel—used in ships and heavy-duty trucks—and now to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). We were actually the first commercial producer of SAF in 2016. Our fuels are made from renewable feedstocks like waste fats, oils, and greases. These fuels are not only renewable but also cleaner burning.

Now, SAF is pushing us toward even more innovations like green hydrogen and renewable naphtha, which has implications for plastics and textiles.

Q: What makes SAF innovative, and why is it the next big step?

SAF stands for sustainable aviation fuel. It’s made from renewable feedstocks and can be used in existing aircraft engines with no modifications. It's currently approved to be used in a 50/50 blend with traditional jet fuel and has already powered hundreds of thousands of flights.

SAF reduces lifecycle emissions by up to 85% and burns cleaner, which means fewer particulates in the air, water, and land. But what really excites us is our SAF-as-a-Service model.

Q: Can you explain SAF-as-a-Service and SAF certificates?

Historically, only airlines purchased jet fuel. But many companies—Microsoft, BCG, DHL—also generate emissions through employee travel and logistics. These are called scope 3 emissions.

With SAF-as-a-Service, we decouple the fuel from the emissions reductions. We sell physical SAF to airlines and the emissions reductions separately through SAF certificates, which represent one metric ton of decarbonization.

Companies calculate their travel emissions, purchase SAF certificates from us, and claim those verified reductions through a book-and-claim system. It’s transparent, traceable, and third-party verified to prevent double counting.

Q: From a marketing perspective, how difficult is it to sell something like a SAF certificate?

It's definitely more challenging than selling a physical fuel. Education is key. People need to understand how it works and the value it delivers. We use multimedia—infographics, videos—to explain these concepts.

The good news is, this model isn’t new. It exists in community solar, fair-trade goods, and renewable energy credits. The idea is the same: emissions saved anywhere are emissions saved everywhere.

Q: Do you have a success story that shows SAF’s impact?

Yes! Over the past few years, we’ve partnered with 21 companies, including Microsoft, DHL, and BCG, on SAF certificate deals. Together, they've purchased certificates equal to nearly 3 million metric tons of decarbonization.

To give that context—that’s equivalent to 9.5 million passenger trips from JFK to LAX. That’s nearly seven years of nonstop flights between those two cities.

Q: Cost is a major barrier. How do you overcome that?

SAF is 2 to 3 times more expensive than traditional jet fuel. The feedstocks are costlier, and we need new or retrofitted infrastructure. Plus, SAF delivers dual value: propulsion and decarbonization.

Historically, airlines paid that premium—but they operate on razor-thin margins. Now, corporate buyers are helping share the cost through SAF certificates. That’s creating a virtuous cycle: more demand → more investment → more facilities → more supply → lower prices.

Q: How do you create demand and position SAF certificates in the market?

It's about education—but not just technical. We need to meet customers where they are and show how SAF helps solve their problems.

Early adopters responded to moral arguments. Today, we focus more on business value: regulatory compliance, risk reduction, brand value, job creation, and customer demand for sustainable products.

Q: How important are partnerships in growing this ecosystem?

They’re essential. No one can do this alone. It takes feedstock providers, regulators, investors, governments—and of course, customers.

One great example is SABA (Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance), a coalition of 20+ companies working to decarbonize air travel. Last year, they made a group SAF purchase, and we were proud to supply almost two-thirds of the fuel. That kind of collective action sends a strong market signal.

Q: How do you leverage events like Climate Week to advance this work?

Events like Climate Week and GreenBiz are crucial. They allow the community to come together, share knowledge, tackle tough questions, and move the industry forward. Like the saying goes: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Q: What trends do you see shaping the cleantech industry now?

One big trend is the decoupling of environmental attributes from physical fuels—not just in aviation, but in shipping, green steel, and other hard-to-abate sectors.

I’m also excited to see the ecosystem solidifying—registries, standards bodies, verification frameworks—all coming together to support scale.

Q: For companies just starting out in climate marketing, what advice would you give?

Understand your audience and meet them where they are. Solve their problems. Be a partner, not just a seller.

Hire strong communicators—people who can understand technical topics and translate them into compelling, digestible stories for less technical audiences. That’s a rare skill, and it’s the difference between good and great marketing.

Q: What excites you most about the future of clean energy and decarbonization?

I’m excited about SAF certificates gaining momentum across industries. I’m also excited about how World Energy is growing—we’re producing more SAF than ever, at higher quality.

And I’m especially inspired by our work with green hydrogen and renewable naphtha. Just look around your desk—how many things are made from plastic? Renewable naphtha can help decarbonize that entire supply chain.

Q: Where can our audience go to learn more or get in touch?

Visit worldenergy.net. We have a Knowledge Hub where you can learn all about SAF, green hydrogen, and more. You can also sign up for our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn.

Thank you, Leanne. This was a fantastic conversation.

Thanks so much for having me.

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