by Elsie Clark | Oct 28, 2025 | Sustainability
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) says that the industry is on track to achieve its target of 6% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030.
The ReFuelEU Aviation Annual Technical Report found that 0.6% of Europe’s supplied aviation fuel for 2024 was SAF. This percentage needs to increase rapidly, but nevertheless saved 714 kilotonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent of around 10,000 flights between Madrid and Paris.
Overall, EASA believes the EU is on track to achieve its 6% blending target in the next five years. Whether the bloc hits its interim target of 2% SAF in 2025 will be assessed at the close of this calendar year.
China is Europe’s biggest supplier of biofuel
EASA’s findings also highlight the ongoing cost obstacles to SAF adoption. Currently, the average price of SAF sits at €2,085/tonne, compared to €734/tonne for conventional jet fuel. Until the cost becomes more competitive, it is difficult to see how SAF use can scale successfully. Earlier this year, Airlines for Europe (A4E) criticised the EU for imposing SAF mandates without taking action to create a viable SAF market. Nevertheless, EASA’s report affirms progress on the 6% target.
Europe’s biggest producer of SAF is currently Finland, responsible for 10% of supply. However, 69% of feedstock originates outside of the EU, with China the biggest supplier.
Maria Rueda, EASA’s safety management, sustainability and global outreach director, said:
This first annual technical report marks an important milestone and makes clear that the EU has taken important first steps.
A functioning reporting system is now in place, initial reporting compliance levels are solid, and SAF delivery is happening across multiple member states. This report sets an important benchmark for our sustainability efforts in the future.
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by Elsie Clark | Oct 16, 2025 | Innovation, Sustainability
Wagner Sustainable Fuels has launched its new operations facility in Toowoomba, Australia.
Developed in partnership with Boeing and FlyORO, the dedicated terminal will blend sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). As Australia’s first Roundtable of Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)-certified company, Wagner Sustainable Fuels customers are guaranteed chain of custody and SAF authenticity.
Matt Doyle, CEO of Wagner Sustainable Fuels, commented:
This is a defining moment for sustainable aviation in Australia and underscores Wagner Sustainable Fuels’ commitment to provide solutions today for the challenges of tomorrow.
The launch of our Toowoomba Terminal is the start of our plans to deliver decarbonisation benefits and meet the aviation sector’s growing demand through flexible, efficient and scalable SAF blending. With the support from Boeing, we’re focused on bringing large scale SAF and renewable diesel production to Australia and integrating it into the global supply chain through the Brisbane Recycling and SAF Facility, which is currently under planning and development.
SAF blending is a critical to aviation’s sustainable development journey. During the process, ‘pure’ SAF is mixed with standard fossil jet fuel to create a fuel that is compatible with existing infrastructure.
Dr. Kimberly Camrass, Boeing’s Head of Asia Pacific Sustainability, added:
Current global regulations permit commercial aircraft to use up to a 50/50 blend of SAF and fossil jet fuel. This will continue to rise as additional production pathways are certified,
Wagner’s commercial blending terminal is a powerful step forward in aviation decarbonisation, boosting regional employment and opening new export markets. It will also provide important learnings to support the development of robust and scalable SAF supply chains within Australia.
According to the Boeing CSIRO SAF Roadmap, demand for jet fuel in Australia is set to grow by 75% by 2050. The Wagner facility’s partnership with FlyORO will help consolidate SAF’s position as a viable alternative fuel and create more opportunities for sustainable development across APAC.
Jonathan Yeo, FlyORO’s CEO, said:
FlyORO’s modular SAF blending system, AlphaLite, doesn’t just help reduce emissions – it creates a scalable platform for collaboration, co-investment, and transparency across the fuel value chain.
his integrated model complements FlyORO’s broader deployment strategy, including standalone facilities such as the one operating in Singapore. This is how we unlock speed and scale. We’re excited to partner with the leadership of Wagner Sustainable Fuels and Boeing to pioneer a more sustainable flying ecosystem in Australia.
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by Elsie Clark | Sep 23, 2025 | Innovation, Sustainability
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has published a global feedstock assessment for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), finding that production potential is 100 million tonnes (Mt) short of what is required by 2050.
The report estimates that the aviation industry will need 500Mt of sustainable aviation fuel in 2050 to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. After assessing global feedstock availability, technological adoption, and regional capacity, IATA forecasts that 400Mt could be produced by 2050.
Given that SAF production currently sits at 2Mt, this would be a significant achievement. Yet such forecasts still fall well short of global requirements for aviation to operate at net-zero carbon emissions.
IATA report that what’s holding SAF scaleup back is not feedstock availability, but technology. Achieving necessary levels of SAF production requires a substantial increase in renewable energy programmes, as well as commercial SAF facilities. More production sites need to be reaching maturity over the coming years for 2050 to 500 Mt by 2050 to remain a reasonable target.
The research also finds that the US, Europe, India, and Brazil will become SAF production hotspots, accounting for more than 50% output. Scaling these centres will require strong regional leadership and commitment to investing in a greener future for aviation.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, commented:
With this study it becomes clear that we can make SAF the solution it needs to be for aviation’s decarbonisation. The potential to turn SAF feedstock into real SAF production is in the hands of policymakers and business leaders, particularly in the energy sector.
The conclusion of this study is an urgent call to action. We have just 25 years to turn this proven potential into reality.
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by Elsie Clark | Sep 4, 2025 | Innovation, Sustainability
The Indian Ministry for Civil Aviation has officially presented its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feasibility study at a two-day workshop in New Delhi.
Launched in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the EU, the study presented key findings on SAF’s growth potential in India ahead of ICAO’s Innovation Fair in Montreal. The workshop sets a comprehensive roadmap for SAF adoption across India, from production to deployment.
At the summit, Minister Ram Mohan Naidu noted:
SAF offers a practical and immediate pathway to decarbonise aviation, with the potential to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.
The Minister added that scaling SAF production could reduce India’s carbon emissions by 20 to 25 million tonnes annually. Now one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, SAF could be critical to scaling Indian aviation while maintaining net-zero emissions targets.
As a country with over 750 million metric tonnes of biomass and nearly 230 million metric tonnes of surplus agricultural residue, India is well-positioned to become a global hub for SAF manufacture and export. Additionally, the country’s young aircraft fleet is already among the most energy-efficient in the world, providing a solid foundation for further sustainable development.
India’s government has set ambitious targets for SAF deployment: 1% of total fuel for international flights by 2027, and an increase to 5% by 2030. Production at the first certified SAF refinery, Indian Oil’s Panipat, is expected to begin by the end of 2025.
While SAF could potentially reduce the carbon emissions of the energy-intense aviation sector significantly, its long-term feasibility has been challenged. A 2024 report from the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) labelled sustainable fuels ‘a false solution’ that are impossible to scale effectively in line with net-zero emissions targets.
Meanwhile, Shell announced on 3 September 2025 announced that they were cancelling the construction of their flagship biomass fuel facility in the Netherlands. The oil and gas giant had already paused the project in 2024 due to technical difficulties, but will now shelve it entirely. Machteld de Haan, head of downstream, renewables and energy solutions at Shell, said:
As we evaluated market dynamics and the cost of completion, it became clear that the project would be insufficiently competitive to meet our customers’ need for affordable, low-carbon products.
With India preparing to scale SAF investment, the world will be watching closely to determine whether SAF can deliver on its promise to reduce emissions.
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