SAF production to meet 6% mandate by 2030, says EASA
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has released its inaugural “State of the EU SAF Market in 2023” report, highlighting significant progress and challenges in the development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
The report provides insights into SAF production capacity, pricing, and emerging trends, serving as a foundation for the EU’s decarbonisation goals.
Under the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, introduced in 2023, airlines operating within the EU must incorporate SAF into their fuel mix, starting with a 2% minimum by 2025. This mandate will progressively increase to 6% by 2030, including a 0.7% requirement for synthetic SAF—a cutting-edge solution with even greater CO₂ reduction potential.
EASA’s analysis indicates that current production plans should meet the 6% SAF target by 2030, reflecting steady industry growth. However, achieving the synthetic SAF sub-mandate will require accelerated investment and innovation.
Maria Rueda, EASA’s Director of Strategy and Safety Management, emphasised the importance of the report in guiding the aviation sector towards sustainability: “This first report on SAF provides a comprehensive analysis and valuable insights to the potential of SAF for commercial airline operations in Europe. It will be a key component on the journey towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation sector.”
The report will inform EASA’s first full technical review, due in 2025, which will monitor compliance and market trends.
As SAF development continues, the EU remains focused on advancing sustainable aviation to combat climate change and reduce aviation’s environmental footprint.
