Tech roll-out not feedstock is SAF bottleneck, says IATA

The slow pace of technology roll-out is the main bottleneck to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and not feedstock availability, according to a new report from industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Currently most commercially scaled SAF production facilities use HEFA technology, for example converting used cooking oil into SAF.

Airlines will need 500 million tonnes (Mt) of SAF to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Biomass has the potential to produce more than 300 Mt of bio-SAF annually by 2050 and power-to-liquid (PtL) will also be required to reach the target.