UK SAF mandate comes into force

Air travel in the UK takes a greener turn from today as the country’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate comes into effect.

The move positions the UK as a global leader in decarbonising aviation, requiring airlines to adopt cleaner fuel alternatives.

SAF, derived from renewable sources such as household waste and used cooking oil, emits around 70% less carbon dioxide than conventional jet fuel.

From 1 January 2025, airlines will be legally required to ensure SAF accounts for at least 2% of their fuel, with this proportion rising to 10% by 2030 and 22% by 2040.

By 2030, it’s expected that the UK will produce 1.2 million tonnes of SAF annually — enough to fuel flights circling the globe 3,000 times.

These targets are part of the government’s broader commitment to sustainable energy, creating thousands of skilled jobs across the UK and driving economic growth.

As one of the first nations to legislate such a mandate, the UK aims to cement its position as a clean energy leader while taking significant strides toward a more sustainable aviation future.

Minister for Aviation Mike Kane said: “From this moment on, aviation will be a greener, more sustainable form of travel and today marks a significant milestone for the UK SAF industry.

“With thousands of jobs supporting the UK SAF industry and flying becoming popular than ever, the mandate will help deliver our Plan for Change helping to grow the economy and giving people the freedom to travel in a more sustainable way.”

Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, said: “UK airlines support the SAF mandate as both a powerful and practical tool for driving down aviation carbon emissions and a clear signal that the industry is fully committed to a net zero future.

“Our priority is ensuring airlines have access to the increasing volumes of SAF required to meet the mandate as global demand soars, at the most competitive price possible for consumers.

“The UK mandate is ambitious and scaling SAF production will mean further work to expand eligible feedstocks, incentives to help cut costs and, critically, ensuring the design of the revenue certainty mechanism enables the UK to increase production of advanced fuels this decade whilst keeping costs as low as possible, critical for achieving mandate compliance and avoiding supplier buy-out.”