Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), also known as biojet fuel or renewable jet fuel, is an alternative to traditional aviation fuel derived from fossil fuels. It is produced from renewable feedstocks and aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation industry, which is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
Key characteristics of sustainable aviation fuel:
Renewable Feedstocks: SAF is made from various renewable feedstocks, such as agricultural residues, waste oils, non-food crops, algae, and other sustainable biomass sources. These feedstocks can be replenished, unlike finite fossil fuels.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction: SAF can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. It achieves this by either using carbon-neutral feedstocks or employing advanced processes to reduce emissions during production.
Compatibility with Existing Infrastructure: One of the advantages of SAF is that it can be blended with conventional jet fuel and used in existing aircraft and airport infrastructure without the need for significant modifications.
Lifecycle Emissions: SAF’s environmental benefits depend on its entire lifecycle, including feedstock cultivation, production, transportation, and use. The goal is to ensure that the overall lifecycle emissions are lower than those associated with conventional jet fuel.
Certification: SAF produced according to specific sustainability criteria may receive certifications like the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) or the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC). These certifications provide assurance that the fuel meets certain sustainability standards.
Potential to Reduce Emissions: The adoption of sustainable aviation fuel has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants significantly. However, it’s essential to scale up production and address cost and availability challenge
Challenges and Outlook:
Despite its potential benefits, there are several challenges facing the widespread adoption of sustainable aviation fuel:
Cost: SAF production is currently more expensive than traditional jet fuel due to the limited scale of production and higher feedstock costs.
Feedstock Availability: Sourcing sufficient sustainable feedstocks to meet the demand for aviation fuel remains a challenge.
Regulatory Frameworks: Governments and international bodies need to develop supportive policies and incentives to promote SAF adoption and production.
Infrastructure: The aviation industry’s transition to SAF requires investment in new production facilities and distribution infrastructure.
Competition with Land Use: Using land for SAF feedstock production may compete with food production and other land use considerations, raising concerns about food security and biodiversity.
Scaling up Production: To realize the full potential of SAF, large-scale production is necessary to achieve economies of scale and reduce costs.
Despite these challenges, there is growing interest and commitment from airlines, aircraft manufacturers, governments, and other stakeholders to develop and utilize sustainable aviation fuel as part of broader efforts to mitigate the environmental impact of aviation. Continued research, investment, and policy support are critical to accelerating the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel and making air travel more sustainable.
14 June 2023 – For the first time, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) have been certified under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is an increasingly available and proven solution to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint. SAF can deliver GHG reductions between 65 and 100% relative to fossil jet fuel. To encourage the use and production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the United States, the US Congress introduced the Sustainable Skies Act in May 2021. The Sustainable Skies Act provides a $1 billion grant over five years to expand the number of SAF-producing facilities in the US.
India is well placed to become a leader in a rapidly growing global SAF industry, given access to feedstock and low-cost solar energy. Sustainable jet fuel made from waste can help reduce emissions and boost India’s economy.
Early adoption of SAF can provide environmental and economic benefits at 10 times higher than initial costs as India’s aviation sector grows, while progressing on global climate goals.
Indian airline Akasa air is set to place a ” three digit” aircraft order by the end of the year as it enjoys a solid cash position following its inaugural year of operations.Akasa has 19 planes available,with a 20th due to be inducted in this month.It already orders in place for 80 more planes across boeing and airbus.Founder and CEO vinay dube is backing sustainable growth and is bullish on plans to offer international gateway that provide industry -leading customer service by March 2027.