Efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions in the aviation industry by using sustainable fuel face significant challenges, primarily due to high costs and market uncertainties deterring producers.
In the European Union, producers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) are struggling to increase output swiftly enough to meet mandated quotas, according to the CEO of Frankfurt airport operator Fraport.
One major obstacle is the price disparity: biofuel-based SAF is currently three to five times more expensive than traditional jet fuel.
Reports indicate that SAF producers are grappling with uncertainty regarding production levels, fearing potential oversupply in the coming years.
Despite these concerns, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents global airlines, recently asserted that sufficient SAF would be available to meet airline demands.
"SAF is key to aviation's decarbonisation," said IATA Director General Willie Walsh. "Airlines are eager to use SAF, and the SAF Registry will meet the critical needs of all stakeholders, aiding the global effort to scale up SAF production."
This comes at a time when Nairobi-based carrier Kenya Airways has been selected as the only African airline to initiate the use of SAF.
This follows Kenya Airways' successful trials in October, where it utilised SAF on a long-haul flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam. This pilot flight, the first in Africa to test SAF, generated essential data to inform policies, regulations, and industry best practices.
Projections suggest that SAF could provide up to 65 percent of the carbon mitigation required for the aviation industry to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The forthcoming SAF registry, set to launch in the first quarter of 2025, will enable airlines worldwide to purchase SAF and claim its environmental benefits for regulatory compliance, regardless of production location.
The European Commission has adopted rules mandating progressively increasing amounts of SAF for flights departing from EU airports.
These quotas will rise to 70 percent by 2050, beginning with two percent of total fuel in 2025, compared to the current 0.2 percent of global jet fuel use.
