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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released new figures regarding the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). In 2024, SAF production reached 1 million tonnes, doubling from the previous year but falling short of earlier estimates. Initially, projections for 2024 anticipated a production level of 1.5 million tonnes. The delay is attributed to key SAF facilities in the United States postponing their ramp-up plans to early 2025.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, commented on the situation: “SAF volumes are increasing, but disappointingly slowly. Governments are sending mixed signals to oil companies which continue to receive subsidies for their exploration and production of fossil oil and gas." He also noted that investors seem hesitant without guarantees of returns. Despite this, Walsh emphasized that airlines are keen to purchase SAF and see it as part of a long-term decarbonization strategy.
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, highlighted the broader context: “The airline industry’s decarbonization must be seen as part of the global energy transition... We need the whole world to produce as much renewable energy as possible for everybody."
