Sustainable aviation fuel still covers less than 1% of global jet fuel use even as passenger demand for greener flights grows. The article explains how mandates like Europe's ReFuelEU and US tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act aim to scale SAF, but feedstock limits and high costs keep production far below what airline climate pledges require. Corporate buyers are using book and claim models to fund SAF projects, but critics question whether this confuses travelers about actual emissions. The piece also examines how higher SAF costs could create a two speed transition where premium routes adopt more green fuel while budget carriers lag. For anyone tracking real world decarbonization, this is a clear case of policy intent hitting physical supply constraints.
