Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a non-fossil alternative to conventional jet fuel. It is produced from renewable or waste-based feedstocks and can be used in existing aircraft engines without modification.
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SAF is a drop-in fuel. It blends with conventional jet fuel and meets the same technical specifications, allowing it to integrate into today’s aviation infrastructure.
Emissions Reduction
Depending on the feedstock and production pathway, SAF can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil jet fuel.
The reduction comes from replacing crude oil with sustainable carbon sources such as waste oils, residues, and renewable biomass.
The Role of Feedstocks
Today, most commercial SAF is produced through the HEFA pathway, which converts lipid-based feedstocks into renewable jet fuel.
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These feedstocks typically include:
• Used cooking oil
• Animal fats
• Other waste-derived lipids
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HEFA is technologically mature and already integrated into existing refinery systems.
The Scaling Challenge
The primary constraint in scaling SAF is feedstock availability.
Waste oils and animal fats are finite resources. As blending mandates such as ReFuelEU Aviation and RED III increase demand, competition for sustainable lipids intensifies.
Expanding the feedstock base is therefore essential for meeting aviation decarbonization targets.
