Some 87% of airlines are failing in the transition to sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), new data from Transport & Environment (T&E) has found.
According to T&E’s study, just 10 out of 77 airlines that it assessed are making ‘noteworthy efforts’ to switch to proper sustainable transport fuels, while the remainder are either buying too little or the wrong kind of SAF.
A number of airlines are also not considering SAF at all in their decarbonisation plans, the study suggested.
Too few airlines
“Too few airlines are committing to truly sustainable fuels. The majority are either buying the wrong types of fuels or, worse still, no SAF at all,” commented Francesco Catte, SAF manager at T&E.
“Airlines have to put their fist on the table to change this. They need to send the right signal to fuel suppliers that what is being sold to them will not make their flights green. Otherwise, they can wave goodbye to their net-zero goals.”
In the study Air France-KLM, United Airlines and Norwegian top the list for their commitment to e-kerosene or advanced and waste biofuels.
E-kerosene is widely seen as the most sustainable and scalable form of SAF, while SAF biofuels vary greatly in sustainability and scalability, T&E noted. Currently, e-kerosene, which is made from renewable electricity comprises less than 10% of airlines’ SAF agreements, while biofuels made from corn grains and soy oil account for more than 30%.
According to T&E, a lethargy among major oil companies to invest in SAFs is a significant barrier to their adoption. Companies like Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil allocate less than 3% of their aviation fuel output to SAF production, focusing instead on unsustainable biofuels.
Clean Industrial Deal
To accelerate the transition, T&E urges the EU to prioritise e-fuels in its Clean Industrial Deal, with targeted investments and incentives for first movers in the e-kerosene sector.
“Oil companies are the missing piece of the puzzle in the green fuels ecosystem,” Catte adds. “They have gone unnoticed so far but their reluctance to invest into SAFs is hijacking the transition of the sector as a whole.
“Regulators must get tougher and ensure oil majors are investing in SAFs, whilst also developing a European industrial strategy for e-kerosene, to support this nascent industry with adequate funding and regulatory measures. The Clean Industrial Deal offers a unique opportunity to address these issues and foster e-kerosene production.”
The airlines included in the study are responsible for around 75% of global airline jet fuel consumption. Read more here.
