As the UAE works toward implementing its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) roadmap, a current “soft requirement” for a voluntary 1% blend could soon be superseded by a compulsory mandate. Speaking at an Airbus event on the opening morning of the Dubai Airshow, Sharif Al Olama, undersecretary for energy and petroleum affairs at the UAE’s ministry of energy and infrastructure, explained that over the next year, a “comprehensive assessment” on the initiative’s economic impact will inform future regulation.
“We want to hit the ground running [regarding SAF],” Al Olama said. “We in the UAE have the power to drive this at a global scale.” Indeed, over the next week, he will be holding meetings with Abu Dhabi Airport, Dubai Airport, Etihad Airways, and Emirates to discuss “when we can move to the next phase.” Overall, he cites these parties’ reactions as “very positive,” with the UAE’s SAF and LCAF [Lower Carbon Aviation Fuel] Committee also “playing a role in terms of mediating between the offtakers and the suppliers.”
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