Sustainability and Environment
IATA: Technology, Not Feedstock, Limiting SAF Goals
Study urges investments in technology and infrastructure
World Energy SAF refinery in Paramount, California
A new report partnered on by IATA says that while there is enough SAF feedstock available to meet aviation’s carbon emission reduction goals, the production infrastructure investment is lacking. © Curt Epstein/AIN

A new report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in partnership with Worley Consulting, concludes that technology implementation, not sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstock availability, is the main pinch point in the ability of the aviation industry to reach net-zero carbon emissions goals by 2050. According to the study, hurdles remain in current technology, mainly the slow rollout of production processes besides HEFA, which uses used cooking oils and other fats to produce SAF.

As previously outlined in the organization’s net-zero roadmaps, it is anticipated that airlines will require 500 million tonnes of SAF by 2050. The report notes that this supply will be from two main sources: sustainably-sourced biomass or power-to-liquid pathways that have been slow to enter commercial production.