Decarbonising now

This panel explored how to make immediate progress on the decarbonisation of commercial aviation with a solution which is both available now and compatible with airlines’ individual growth ambitions and traffic demand: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). 

We provided insights into how key players in the sector currently use and provide SAF as well as other enablers. We also explained how Airbus is developing the SAF ecosystem of the future through its own operations and by working together with energy providers and airlines.

• Airbus and leading sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer Neste have announced a new partnership with the aim of accelerating the aviation sector’s transition to SAF. The focus of their collaboration will be advancing  technical developments and testing current and future production technologies, supporting the increasing percentage of SAF in the aviation fuel mix from 1% today to 10% by 2030.
   
• Airbus has been paving the way for SAF usage for some time. All Airbus aircraft are already certified to fly with a fuel-mix of 50% SAF and we are aiming for 100% SAF readiness by 2030. However the high cost of entry to the SAF supply market is a difficulty that has to be overcome.

• Air France has a target to incorporate more than 10% SAF worldwide by 2030. It says that in recognising changing customer behaviours, and being transparent in its communications, both corporate customers and individual passengers are willing to contribute to SAF purchases and/or pay a higher ticket price for each flight.

• Adoption of SAF is based on many factors including investment, production and distribution. Investment is dependent on demand certainty, and demand certainty can only come through establishing an appropriate regulatory framework. Consideration also has to be given to the affordability of SAF and how the cost of SAF is shared across the value chain, and not borne by the airlines alone.