Governments must urgently implement large-scale incentives for the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), the International Air Transport Association (Iata) has urged. Iata is the global representative body of the airline sector and is currently holding its seventy-eighth annual general meeting (in Doha, in Qatar).

SAF were essential to achieve the decarbonisation of commercial aviation by 2050. To reach net-zero carbon emissions in the sector by that time, SAF would have to provide 65% of its ‘carbon mitigation’, Iata affirmed.

Achieving this goal would require yearly SAF production capacity of 449-billion litres by 2050. Currently, global SAF production capacity was 125-million litres. Investments were already in place to increase this to 5-billion litres a year by 2025. But rapid large-scale ramping up of SAF production after that would need incentives.

“Governments don’t need to invent a playbook,” highlighted Iata director-general Willie Walsh. “Incentives to transition electricity production to renewable sources like solar or wind worked. As a result, clean energy solutions are now cheap and widely available. With similar incentives for SAF, we could see 30-billion litres available by 2030. Though still far from where we need to be, it would be a clear tipping point towards our net-zero ambition of ample SAF quantities at affordable prices.”

Last year, the price of SAF varied between two and four times that of conventional jet fuel. Yet airlines bought every single one of the 125-million litres that were produced. Airlines have also entered into forward-purchasing agreements for SAF worth $17-billion, encouraged by SAF-specific policies adopted in 38 countries.

But more investment is needed in SAF production. This would increase supply and reduce the cost. The US had taken the lead, providing large incentives that will take its production of SAF to 11-billion litres by 2030.

“Hydrogen and/or electric propulsion systems will most likely be available for short haul commercial flights by 2035, but the majority of emissions come from long-haul widebody flights and to tackle these emissions, SAF is the only proven solution,” pointed out Iata senior VP environment and sustainability Sebastian Mikosz. “We know it works, and we need to double down our efforts to get all actors of the industry on board, including governments, to increase production, availability and uptake.”