SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel)

What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel?

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a drop-in replacement for conventional petroleum-based jet fuel, produced from renewable or waste-derived feedstocks rather than crude oil. "Drop-in" means SAF meets the same ASTM International specifications as conventional Jet A/A-1 and can be blended and used in existing aircraft engines and fuel infrastructure without modification.

Unlike fossil jet fuel, SAF achieves lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions because the carbon released during combustion is partially offset by carbon absorbed during feedstock growth or diverted from waste streams. IATA estimates lifecycle emission reductions of up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel, depending on the production pathway and feedstock [1].

Aviation accounts for approximately 2–3% of global CO2 emissions. Because battery-electric and hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft remain decades from widespread deployment, SAF represents the primary near-term decarbonization tool available to the industry. As of 2025, global production reached approximately 1.92 million tonnes, nearly double the previous year, but still just 0.6% of total aviation fuel consumption. ATAG's Waypoint 2050 analysis estimates the industry will need up to 500 million tonnes annually by 2050, requiring an estimated $1.2 to $4.3 trillion in new refinery investment [1].

SAF Production Pathways and Feedstocks

SAF production uses several ICAO- and ASTM-certified conversion pathways, each starting with different feedstocks:

HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids): The most commercially mature pathway. Processes used cooking oil, animal fats, and other waste lipids into jet fuel. HEFA accounts for the majority of current global SAF production.

Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ): Converts ethanol or isobutanol from agricultural residues, municipal solid waste, or energy crops into jet fuel.

Fischer-Tropsch (FT): Gasifies solid biomass or captured CO2 into synthesis gas, then converts it to liquid hydrocarbons suitable for aviation.

Power-to-Liquid (PtL) / e-SAF: Combines green hydrogen (from renewable electricity and electrolysis) with captured CO2 to synthesize jet fuel. As of 2024, no commercial-scale e-SAF facility had reached final investment decision in the EU [4].

Current regulations allow blending SAF with conventional jet fuel at ratios up to 50% under existing ASTM certifications. Industry groups are working toward 100% SAF approval, and several unblended test flights have already been completed.

Why Does SAF Matter for Corporate Travel Programs?

For companies with significant employee air travel, SAF addresses a reporting and regulatory challenge that carbon offsets alone can't solve. Business travel falls under Scope 3 Category 6 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and for many professional services, technology, and consulting firms, flights represent the single largest item in their Scope 3 inventory.

Three developments make SAF directly relevant to travel managers and sustainability teams:

Regulatory mandates create cost pass-throughs. The EU's ReFuelEU Aviation regulation requires fuel suppliers to blend increasing shares of SAF, starting at 2% in 2025 and rising to 70% by 2050 [2]. Suppliers pass compliance costs to airlines, who pass them to corporate buyers through surcharges. Understanding SAF helps procurement teams anticipate and budget for these increases.

Science-based targets now recognize SAF purchases. The SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 explicitly recognizes SAF certificates as a valid indirect mitigation tool for Scope 3 emissions [3]. Companies setting science-based targets can use verified SAF purchases to demonstrate progress toward reduction commitments.

Investor scrutiny is intensifying. ESG disclosure frameworks including CDP and CSRD require companies to report Scope 3 emissions with increasing granularity. Organizations that demonstrate SAF procurement alongside operational sustainability measures present more credible emissions narratives than those relying solely on offsets.

How Do SAF Certificates Work for Scope 3 Reporting?

Physical SAF is produced and blended at specific airports, but not every route has SAF available. The book-and-claim mechanism solves this supply constraint by separating the environmental attribute from the physical fuel delivery.

The process works in three steps:

• A SAF producer blends certified fuel into the aviation fuel supply at a participating airport.
• The verified emissions reduction is logged on a registry (RSB, SAFc Registry, or IATA/CADO) and issued as a SAF certificate.
• A company purchases and retires the certificate against its Scope 3 Category 6 business travel emissions, regardless of which aircraft physically used the fuel.

Corporate buyers typically procure SAFc through direct airline programs, coalitions like the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA), or through their travel management platform. Current SAFc prices range from approximately $300 to $500 per tonne of CO2 abated, though prices vary by contract length and volume [5].

Book-and-claim certificates are accepted for voluntary corporate reporting and SBTi compliance, but they cannot satisfy mandatory regulatory requirements under ReFuelEU, which requires physical fuel uplift at EU airports [2].

ReFuelEU and CORSIA: Key Regulatory Frameworks

Two frameworks shape global SAF adoption:

ReFuelEU places obligations on fuel suppliers, not directly on airlines, but suppliers pass costs through the fuel chain. Airlines at EU airports must also uplift at least 90% of required fuel at each airport to prevent tankering [2].

CORSIA operates differently. Airlines on covered international routes must offset emissions growth above a baseline, and using CORSIA-eligible fuels reduces their offsetting requirement. Corporate buyers don't interact with CORSIA directly, but the framework shapes airline SAF purchasing decisions that affect ticket pricing and corporate travel budgets.

Best Practices for Corporate SAF Procurement

Companies integrating SAF into their travel and expense strategy should follow four principles:

Establish accurate emissions baselines. Before purchasing SAF, measure business travel emissions using recognized methodologies (DEFRA, ICAO, or TREMOD). Accurate baselines help confirm SAF purchases are proportional to actual flight emissions and prevent overspending.

Demand registry-backed certificates. Only purchase SAFc issued through recognized registries like RSB Book & Claim, SAFc Registry, or IATA/CADO. Registry-backed certificates include third-party verification, chain-of-custody documentation, and protections against double-counting.

Align with reporting frameworks. Match SAF purchasing volumes to the disclosure framework your organization uses. SBTi targets, CDP questionnaires, and CSRD disclosures each require specific documentation. Certificates without proper verification may not satisfy auditors.

Integrate SAF into travel policy. Add SAF procurement criteria to your travel and expense policy alongside existing sustainability guidelines. This creates a governance framework for SAF spending and helps finance teams track the investment as a distinct budget line.

Sources

[1] ATAG, "Sustainable Aviation Fuel," 2026, https://atag.org/industry-topics/sustainable-aviation-fuel

[2] European Commission, "FAQ on ReFuelEU Aviation," 2025, https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/air/environment/refueleu-aviation/faq-refueleu-aviation_en

[3] SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0, 2025, as reported by CFP Energy, https://www.cfp.energy/en/insights/sbti-just-validated-saf-certificates.-so-what-exactly-are-they

[4] EASA, "ReFuelEU Aviation Annual Technical Report," October 2025, as reported by SAFpath, https://safpath.com/saf-insight/europes-saf-reality-check-what-the-first-refueleu-report-tells-us/

[5] RMI, "SAF Outlook," 2025, https://saf.rmi.org/

Related Terms

• Corporate Card: A company-issued payment card for business expenses, whose transaction data feeds into emissions tracking and SAF procurement allocation.
• Carbon Offset: A mechanism for compensating CO2 emissions by funding equivalent reductions elsewhere, often used alongside SAF as part of a layered corporate sustainability strategy.
• Scope 3 Emissions: Indirect greenhouse gas emissions from a company's value chain, including Category 6 (business travel), which SAF procurement directly addresses.