By
52 min ago 2 min read
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DOE) will explore electro-sustainable aviation fuels (e-SAF) production in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a portfolio company of Swiss investment firm Smartenergy Group.
Under an agreement with the government, Evolve Fuels will explore the technical and commercial feasibility of e-SAF production in the region.
The agreement aims to connect Abu Dhabi partners with Evolve Fuels’ European project pipeline and support domestic development of policy and regulatory frameworks for e-SAF production in the UAE.
Horst H. Mahmoudi, CEO and Executive Chairman of Smartenergy, said, “Our goal is to position Abu Dhabi as a dominant global player in a market that is set to grow rapidly, as e-SAF quotas, starting in Europe and the UK, take effect.”
Under the European Commission’s ReFuelEU aviation measure, the share of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplied at EU airports is set to increase from 2% in 2025 to 70% by 2050.
It comes as Abu Dhabi looks to attract investment in the UAE’s clean energy and advanced technology sectors.
The UAE’s General Policy for Sustainable Aviation Fuel targets the production of 700 million litres of SAF annually. The policy includes a voluntary target, aiming for a 1% share of SAF supplied to national airlines at UAE airports by 2031.
According to market research, the UAE’s SAF market was valued at $79.5m in 2026 and is set to reach $780m by 2031.
In November 2025, UAE clean energy major Masdar and waste management firm Tadweer Group to develop what they claim will be the first commercial-scale waste-to-SAF project in Abu Dhabi.
