Refiners are ramping up production of SAF quickly, but supply is not enough to reach airline industry’s long-term emissions goals. [Credit: Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production tripled in 2022 to 300 million liters, with ambitious targets to reach 30 billion liters by 2030 and 450 billion liters by 2050 to meet net-zero emissions goals.
Despite high prices, airlines utilized all available SAF, demonstrating strong demand and highlighting that the primary challenge is a supply issue rather than a lack of interest.
To significantly increase SAF production and overcome competition for refinery capacity, governments must implement comprehensive production incentives similar to those already in place for other biofuels like biodiesel and biogas.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that total production of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, tripled in 2022, reaching at least 300 million liters, or about 79.3 million gallons.
SAF production totaled 100 million liters, or 26.4 million gallons, in 2021.
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Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4
