A new report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in partnership with Worley Consulting, concludes that technology implementation, not sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstock availability, is the main pinch point in the ability of the aviation industry to reach net-zero carbon emissions goals by 2050. According to the study, hurdles remain in current technology, mainly the slow rollout of production processes besides HEFA, which uses used cooking oils and other fats to produce SAF.
As previously outlined in the organization’s net-zero roadmaps, it is anticipated that airlines will require 500 million tonnes of SAF by 2050. The report notes that this supply will be from two main sources: sustainably-sourced biomass or power-to-liquid pathways that have been slow to enter commercial production.
In all cases, the group explained, it will be necessary to improve the efficiency of the production processes, accelerate technology implementation, improve feedstock logistics, and invest in the infrastructure required to scale up production.
“We now have unequivocal evidence that if SAF production is prioritized, then feedstock availability is not a barrier in the industry’s path to decarbonization,” said IATA director general Willie Walsh. “The potential to turn SAF feedstocks into real SAF production is in the hands of policymakers and business leaders, particularly in the energy sector. We have just 25 years to turn this proven potential into reality.”