GC® Sustainable Aviation Fuel(SAF)
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a clean substitute for fossil jet fuels. Rather than being refined from petroleum, SAF is produced from sustainable resources such as waste oils from a biological origin, agri residues, or non-fossil CO2.
SAF is a so-called drop-in fuel, which means that it can be blended with fossil jet fuel and that the blended fuel requires no special infrastructure or equipment changes. Once it is blended, our fuel is fully certified (ASTM D1655/ DEFSTAN 91-91) and has the same characteristics and meets the same specifications as fossil jet fuel.
Since the first commercial flight operated by KLM in 2011, more than 150,000 flights were powered by SAF. To date, GreenCarbon has supplied SAF that’s produced from waste oils with the so-called HEFA-technology. But we are not limited to a single feedstock or technology. As long as the SAF meets both the technical specifications as well as our sustainability criteria, we are willing to consider any feedstock-technology combination.
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| Feature | Benefit |
| CO2 reduction | The fuel has a smaller environmental footprint compared to fossil fuels. Over the lifecycle, including the impact of production and logistics, GreenCarbo Sustainable Aviation Fuel can achieve up to 80% reduction in GHG emissions compared to fossil jet fuel. |
| Improved local air quality | In addition to the reduction of total life cycle CO2 emissions, SAF can also reduce direct emissions: particulate matter (PM) with up to 90% and sulphur (SOX) with 100%, compared to conventional jet fuel. Reducing these emissions both impact local air quality, in particular in areas with a high density of flight movements, such as airports. |
| Quality requirements | Sustainable Aviation Fuel is chemically identical to conventional jet fuel. The fuel complies with the strict safety and quality requirements of the aviation sector and is certified under ASTM D7566. |
| Improved fuel efficiency | Studies have shown that sustainable aviation fuel has a higher energy density than conventional jet fuel. On top of that, SAF yields an improved fuel efficiency (1.5% – 3%), resulting in higher payload conditions or extended range. |
| Superior cold weather performance | With freeze point of -47°C and lower, Sustainable Aviation Fuel is suitable for operation in extreme cold weather conditions. |
- The use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is on the rise, but what is it exactly?
SAF stands for sustainable aviation fuel. It’s produced from sustainable feedstocks and is very similar in its chemistry to traditional fossil jet fuel. Using SAF results in a reduction in carbon emissions compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces over the lifecycle of the fuel. Some typical feedstocks used are cooking oil and other non-palm waste oils from animals or plants; solid waste from homes and businesses, such as packaging, paper, textiles, and food scraps that would otherwise go to landfill or incineration. Other potential sources include forestry waste, such as waste wood, and energy crops, including fast growing plants and algae. - Why is SAF important?
Jet fuel packs a lot of energy for its weight and it is this energy density that has really enabled commercial flight. Today, there aren’t any other viable options for transporting groups of people quickly over very long distances, so we’re dependent on this type of fuel in aviation. A return flight between London and San Francisco has a carbon footprint per economy ticket of nearly 1 tonne of CO2e. With the aviation industry expected to double to over 8 billion passengers by 2050, it is essential that we act to reduce aviation’s carbon emissions and SAF is one way in which Air bp is doing that. - How much carbon does it save?
SAF gives an impressive reduction of up to 80% in carbon emissions over the lifecycle of the fuel compared to traditional jet fuel it replaces, depending on the sustainable feedstock used, production method and the supply chain to the airport. - Is SAF suitable for all aircraft?
Any aircraft certified for using the current specification of jet fuel can use SAF. - How does the cost of SAF compare to traditional jet fuel?
SAF is currently more costly than traditional fossil jet fuel. That’s down to a combination of the current availability of sustainable feedstocks and the continuing development of new production technologies. As the technology matures it will become more efficient and so the expectation is that it will become less costly for customers. We are seeing increased uptake of SAF as our customers and their passengers increasingly recognize and value the benefits of the emission reductions. - Is SAF really the key to making aviation greener?
SAF can drop straight into existing infrastructure and aircraft. It has the potential to provide a lifecycle carbon reduction of up to 80% compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces. SAF will play a really important role in meeting the aviation industry’s carbon reduction targets, however, we need to use all the options to reduce carbon that we have available. There are several broad opportunities for carbon reduction across the industry such as more efficient aircraft design, smarter operations and the development of future technologies like electrification. - So why aren’t more airlines using SAF?
At the moment, production of SAF is limited as the higher cost for SAF is preventing wider uptake.
