A trusted source of Asia-Pacific commercial aviation news and analysis
Comment
Time for the oil majors to invest in SAF production
The decision by the 14 members of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) to have 5% of their fuel needs met by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030 is certainly brave. Read More »
But many observers and analysts consider it is a pipedream, given the target is only six years away and current worldwide SAF availability is a mere 1% of airline requirements. AAPA director general, Subhas Menon, concedes it is a collective “aspirational target” and the reason it has been set is to “wake the oil majors from their slumber”.
They will be key players in SAF production. But they say they can’t start producing SAF unless demand is there, a puzzling position when airlines are buying every single litre of SAF being produced, despite it costing five to seven times the price of normal jet fuel.
But the seeds of SAF production have been planted in Asia. Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels, has its Asian hub in Singapore and is producing 2.6 million tons of SAF a year. Other projects are in the pipeline. Numerous collaborations have been announced between airlines, regional governments and investors.
The U.S. government, via the Department of Transportation (DoT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is partnering with Boeing to support APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) efforts to develop SAF supply, including analyzing new pathways to optimize SAF production.
Additionally, China is predicted to be a major supplier of SAF if its government puts its weight behind its production infrastructure. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has recently mandated the use of 50,000 tons of SAF in China by 2025. But it is only approximately equivalent to 0.1% of the total jet fuel used in the country in 2019 - or the fuel consumption of a thousand flights between London Heathrow and Shanghai Pudong.
At present, this is a small step. However, more ambitious targets are likely to be established in the Chinese market. The problem is it takes years to set up a SAF refinery. For AAPA airlines aiming to reduce their emissions, the SAF supply they need to meet their 2030 target is entirely dependent on sufficient SAF being produced – and that is out of their control.
TOM BALLANTYNE
Associate editor and chief correspondent
Orient Aviation Media Group
Response(s). Share your ideas.
Thom Slocum says:
December 13th 2024 08:54pm
Linda J. Montz says:
December 10th 2024 10:50pm
Erica Quinn says:
December 9th 2024 10:49am
Richard Liang says:
November 28th 2024 08:06pm
Presley Obenhaus says:
November 24th 2024 05:54pm
MCGREOGER TYSON says:
November 24th 2024 05:23am
GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY says:
November 24th 2024 05:22am
GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY says:
November 24th 2024 05:22am
GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY says:
November 23rd 2024 10:04pm
GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY says:
November 23rd 2024 10:03pm
Seipp Kidwell says:
November 20th 2024 02:58pm
Florence Adonies says:
November 19th 2024 02:52pm
Seipp Kidwell says:
November 18th 2024 12:53pm
Peter Gonzalez says:
November 12th 2024 03:25am
Seipp Kidwell says:
November 11th 2024 10:31pm
Patrick says:
October 23rd 2024 04:21pm
Patrick says:
October 23rd 2024 04:21pm
Patrick says:
October 23rd 2024 04:21pm
Patrick says:
October 23rd 2024 04:21pm
Xiao says:
October 23rd 2024 03:56pm
linda lanes says:
October 16th 2024 02:36pm
Manford says:
October 2nd 2024 07:46am
Gretchen Whitmer says:
September 14th 2024 06:23am
Rhea Scarlett says:
September 5th 2024 01:17pm
Emma Fred says:
September 3rd 2024 09:12am
Emma Fred says:
September 3rd 2024 09:12am
Christopher Reed says:
August 31st 2024 02:42pm
Herston Detty says:
August 24th 2024 01:15pm
Cheng Kurt says:
August 22nd 2024 01:40am
Herston Detty says:
August 11th 2024 06:04pm
Myron Mitchell Lohman says:
August 5th 2024 11:58pm
sara lucas says:
August 2nd 2024 03:48am
sara lucas says:
August 2nd 2024 03:47am
Judith Allen says:
June 29th 2024 02:31pm
Helen Paul says:
June 16th 2024 08:33am
Thomas Kenneth says:
June 16th 2024 08:32am
Jackie Sheehan Brady says:
May 11th 2024 11:06am
Rocky Hepfner says:
April 3rd 2024 06:52am
Rocky Hepfner says:
April 3rd 2024 06:51am
megan moroney says:
January 27th 2024 11:32am
JENKINS COOPER says:
January 17th 2024 01:34am
Stefan Ward says:
January 12th 2024 02:16am
DANIEL RAY says:
December 23rd 2023 11:12am
SPEAK YOUR MIND
Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.
© Orient Aviation Media Group. All Rights Reserved.
Bahwan Hariri says:
December 16th 2024 12:25pm