Sustainable Aviation Fuel : The Future of Greener Aviation
As the aviation industry faces mounting pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has emerged as a viable solution to significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. SAF is a “drop-in” fuel that meets the same technical and safety requirements as traditional fossil-based jet fuel while offering a more sustainable alternative.
What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel?
SAF is chemically similar to conventional jet fuel but is derived from the food and yard waste portion of municipal solid waste, woody biomass, fats/greases/oils, and other feedstocks and agricultural residues. Unlike fossil fuels, SAF sources hydrocarbons from more sustainable origins, leading to a net reduction in emissions on a life cycle basis.
To qualify as SAF under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), the fuel must meet two primary sustainability criteria:
- Achieve at least a 10% net GHG emissions reduction compared to baseline fossil jet fuel emissions.
- Not be produced from biomass sourced from land with high carbon stock.
Additionally, SAF cannot be derived from edible feedstocks that compete with food production. The fuel is refined and blended with traditional jet fuel in approved ratios before certification, ensuring seamless integration into existing aviation infrastructure.
How Does SAF Reduce Emissions?
A common misconception is that SAF directly reduces tailpipe CO₂ emissions. The real emissions reductions stem from the fuel’s life cycle assessment, including feedstock origin and induced land use change effects.
Current Adoption and Industry Efforts
Since its first commercial use in 2016, SAF has fueled hundreds of thousands of flights, with supply points expanding across major airports. However, production remains limited.
The U.S. and global aviation sectors have set ambitious SAF targets:
- The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge aims to increase U.S. SAF production to 3 billion gallons by 2030 and 35 billion gallons by 2050.
- Engine manufacturers are developing systems capable of running on 100% SAF, eliminating the need for blending in the future.
Challenges and Next Steps
Despite its potential, widespread SAF adoption faces hurdles:
- High production costs: SAF is currently more expensive than conventional jet fuel, limiting widespread airline uptake.
- Feedstock availability: Sustainable sources must be carefully managed to prevent adverse environmental and food security impacts.
- Infrastructure limitations: Expanding refining capacity and distribution networks requires substantial investment.
SAF Book and Claim
Book and claim is a system that allows buyers to purchase a specified amount of SAF and claim the associated emissions reduction, even if they do not physically use the fuel themselves. This method separates the fuel’s physical distribution from its climate benefits, enabling organisations to support SAF adoption without direct access to it.
Neste’s Impact solution aligns with the Science Based Targets initiative, ensuring businesses can credibly report emissions savings from their SAF purchases, reinforcing their sustainability commitments.
“In simple terms, many organisations are eager to reduce their Scope 3 emissions by using SAF, but they may not have direct access to it. A book and claim system provides a practical way for them to start cutting emissions,” explains Susanne Bouma, Head of Customer Experience and Offer Management, Renewable Products at Neste, a leading producer of SAF.
Using the book and claim scheme is a fantastic way to add more sustainable fuel into the pool of overral jet fuel used around the world.
Conclusion
SAF represents one of the most promising pathways to reducing aviation’s environmental footprint while maintaining operational efficiency. However, realising the full potential requires overcoming some challenges and broad-scale adoption. By integrating SAF into fuel strategies today,we can play a crucial role in accelerating the transition toward a more sustainable future for air travel. If SAF is something you’d like to use on your next flight with us, let us know when you get in touch.