Page 29 - European Energy Innovation magazine - spring 2023 edition

Spring 2023 European Energy Innovation
AVIATION DECARBONISATION 29

commercial aircraft, SAF have to RefuelEU Aviation proposal EASA’s efficient approval processes and
go through an exhaustive approval role is to monitor, analyse and report facilitating new EU SAF producers’
process to fulfil strict safety related on the supply and use of SAF in the initial qualification testing leading up
certification criteria and prove EU. to full certification at aircraft level. As
that their physical and chemical regards the cost aspects: the current
characteristics are almost identical The Refuel EU Aviation SAF targets SAF production costs can range from
to fossil-based jet fuel and can would reduce aviation emissions by 1.5 to 6 times the price of fossil-
therefore be safely blended together. around two thirds by 2050. To achieve based jet fuel.
As such, SAF offer a great potential these targets, 2.3 million tonnes
to decarbonize aviation as it does of SAF would be required by 2030. The long-term trend is expected to
not require any changes to existing Approximately 14.8 million tonnes be a reduction in SAF production
aircraft technology and airport of SAF would be required by 2040, costs enabled by economies of scale
infrastructure. However, due to safety and 28.6 million tonnes by 2050. and technological advancements.
reasons, the European Union Aviation However, today’s reality is that, from Additional economic incentives from
Safety Agency (EASA) currently does a production capacity and demand market-based measures (e.g. EU ETS)
not yet allow commercial aircraft point of view, the SAF industry is still will also help in reducing the price
operations on SAF blends going at an early stage of development gap relative to fossil-based jet fuels. l
beyond 50%. with an estimated EU supply of less
than 0.05% of total jet fuel demand
Aircraft and engine manufacturers in 2020.
have already initiated rigorous
test procedures leading up to safe It is estimated that production
operations on certified SAF blends up capacity needs to increase over time
to 100% allowing to unleash the full with 104 more production plants
potential of SAF in the years to come. in the EU by 2050, considering
importing of SAF from outside the EU
RefuelEU and the need to boost may not be straightforward.
SAF production
The biggest challenge for widespread Additional measures to make SAF
adoption lies elsewhere: SAF are more widespread
available today only at limited To achieve these ambitions, EU
volumes and at a higher cost than regulations need to be supported by
conventional fuels. Help here will additional flanking measures such
come from the RefuelEU Aviation as collaboration initiatives across
legislative proposal which can be the entire value chain which the
seen as an efficient instrument for European Commission has initiated in
swift implementation and scale-up 2022 under the name of Renewable
of SAF usage by setting EU-level and Low-Carbon Fuels Value Chain
harmonised SAF targets. Industrial Alliance.

The goal is a gradual ramp-up of SAF EASA is supporting this new Alliance
availability at EU Airports starting at through a workstream aiming to Contact details
2% SAF blending in 2025, 5% in 2030 reinforce the EU capacity to certify Email:dietmar.bloemen@easa.europa.eu
and rising to 63% by 2050. Under the new SAF types by developing more

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