Sustainability and Environment
High Cost and Limited Feedstock Slow Global SAF Production
Estimates call for 50 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030
Flasks of sustainable aviation fuel
A report released today by the UK-based trade group Energy Industries Council notes that more work is needed to boost the production and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel to where it can make a meaningful contribution to the industry's sustainability challenges. © Curt Epstein/AIN

High costs and limited feedstock are the key hurdles in the path toward expanding global sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production, according to a new report from the UK-based Energy Industries Council (EIC).

Despite SAF’s environmental benefits—which in its neat, unblended form can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent compared with conventional jet fuel—the nascent industry today accounts for less than 1 percent of the total aviation fuel usage. With aviation’s stated ambitions of achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, overcoming challenges such as feedstock access, attracting investment, and the need for governmental policies encouraging SAF production and adoption are crucial.

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