Aviation industry calls for more funding for synthetic green fuels

Europe will need to invest more into synthetic aviation fuels if it hopes to meet its net zero targets and decarbonise aviation by 2050 as it can't only rely on biofuel, according to industry leaders, with many asking governments to provide more help. Biofuel-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), made from materials like used cooking oil or wood chips, could reduce aviation emissions by up to 80%, according to government and industry officials, and is seen as the key green solution for the sector. But there is a shortage of feedstocks to produce enough of the fuel from organic materials. Investment into pricier synthetic fuels made out of hydrogen or carbon capture, known as e-SAFs, is needed to ensure Europe can meet its green goals. Only a handful of refineries produce e-SAF, which is considered to be even cleaner than biofuel-based SAF, and very few airlines have committed to purchasing it. "We definitely need e-SAF to bring the amount on the market which is required for the blending mandates first and then later on for 2050 to fly each and every aircraft with SAF," Uwe Gaudig told Reuters, who works on SAF projects for engineering firm Griesemann group in Germany. SAF makes up only 0.2% of global jet fuel use with most of it made using organic feedstock-based biofuels. One of the reasons for the slow uptake is price - biofuel-based SAF costs between three to five times more than traditional jet fuel.<br/>