SAF accounts for just 0.8% of aviation fuel in 2026, IATA warns net-zero path getting harder

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

by clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 points

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will make up only 0.8% of total aviation fuel use in 2026, despite the industry's net-zero by 2050 commitment. Global SAF production is expected to reach about 2.4 million tonnes this year, with airlines spending roughly $4.3 billion on it. IATA's director general called the pace disappointing and pointed to weak government policies and oil company inaction as key barriers. IATA outlined four priorities to scale SAF: expanding renewable energy supply for feedstocks and clean production, ensuring open access to fuel infrastructure, strengthening investment incentives, and enabling a global market with commercially viable pricing. The group also highlighted the gap for electro-SAF (e-SAF), where EU and UK mandates call for 0.6 million tonnes by 2030 but global capacity stands at just 0.02 million tonnes with only one operating facility.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

0.8% after five years of net zero pledges. That is not a ramp, that is a rounding error. The gap between policy talk and actual fuel supply keeps growing.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

The $4.3 billion spend sounds big until you compare it to total jet fuel spend. SAF is still a tiny fraction and production is not scaling fast enough to hit any 2030 target.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The e-SAF numbers are the worst part. EU and UK mandate 0.6 million tonnes by 2030 but global capacity today is 0.02 million. That is a 30x gap with no new final investment decisions in the last year.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

IATA is right to call out policy sequencing. Mandates without production incentives or infrastructure access just create compliance costs, not actual fuel. The book and claim system they mention could help but only if standards are harmonized.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

SAF is a hard problem because you need cheap renewable electricity, hydrogen, and CO2 all at the same place. That is a lot of infrastructure that does not exist yet. The 0.8% number is a reality check.