With a multibillion-pound fund encouraging airlines operating within the EU to use SAF, to a major airline in the UK announcing it had received the country’s first licence to operate its aircraft using 100% SAF, Europe is leading the pack on sustainable fuel uptake.
Aviationweekly.com reports that Damien Meadows, European Commission Director General CLIMA senior adviser, told attendees at the Aviation Carbon conference held at London Heathrow this past week that under the EU’s Emissions Trading System, €2 billion (R45,8 billion) would be available to airlines for alternative fuels from January until 2026.
“I think that will be a total gamechanger, because it covers 100% of fuel supply at some airports,” he said.
Airlines will have to pay for their SAF upfront but can then claim up to 100% of the price difference in September 2025, when they report their emissions for 2024. Any airline covered by the EU ETS can apply, however the amount that can be claimed will vary as this is also based on fuel costs at each airport.
Meanwhile, in an all-time first, Virgin Atlantic announced on November 6 that the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) granted the airline a permit to operate a 100% SAF flight. On November 28, ‘Flight100’ will take off from LHR and land at JFK to test how viable it is to fly on 100% SAF.
“As the UK’s aviation regulator, it’s important that we safely enable the industry to embrace more sustainable practices and push the boundaries of what’s possible to create a greener aviation industry… Innovation and sustainability are vital areas of work, but they must go hand in hand with safety. This is a reminder that together we can drive change, reduce emissions, and make the skies greener for generations to come,” commented Rob Bishton, CEO of the CAA.
