Overview
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is an alternative fuel produced from agricultural and waste feedstocks and is consumed in blends with petroleum jet fuel. SAF can deliver up to 75% to 95% lifecycle GHG reductions compared to conventional jet fuel. Despite its potential as a decarbonization lever, SAF represented only <0.1% of global aviation fuel consumption in 2023. There are multiple constraints to scaling SAF production and delivery, including production capacity and matching physical delivery to demand. Market-based instruments seek to bridge gaps between demand and delivery and finance scaling-up of SAF production.
SAF certificates (SAFc) are a market instrument that allows the decoupling of the physical fuel from its environmental attributes, which enables companies to purchase, track and claim the benefits of SAF without using the physical fuel. SAFc use a chain of custody system called “book and claim,” ensuring full traceability, transparency and the prevention of double-counting. By decoupling environmental attributes from physical fuel products, fuel suppliers can reach broader markets and companies can meet their decarbonization goals even if they cannot access sustainable products directly. The SAFc system is designed to be flexible and scalable, allowing for broad adoption and interoperability between registries, which record and track the purchase and retirement of credits.
From our SAFc Leads
“As aviation accounted for ~2.5% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2023 (according to the IEA), SAF represents a fantastic opportunity to decarbonize a hard-to-abate sector. The SAFc market encourages uptake and investment while removing constraints posed by physical market connections – a win-win for SAF producers, companies looking to decarbonize, and global emissions reductions.”
Deduci supports its clients with tailored SAFc procurement strategies, including:
- Understanding business travel trends and decarbonization opportunities through assessment of current GHG footprint composition
- Creating long-term plans to mitigate price uncertainty and ensuring credible transactions, including additionality and avoidance of double-counting
- Exploring applicable registries to implement programs and provide cost-effective sourcing options for SAFc
- Guide implementation of platform onboarding and transactions, advising on key criteria and data considerations
- Ensure credible reporting strategies, including communication of book and claim programs and integration into GHG inventory
- Facilitating SAFc procurement and retirement
Partnerships
