Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) “aren’t going to deliver” the cuts in aviation emissions needed by 2030, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has warned.
SAFs are touted to make a major contribution to reducing flight emissions in advance of new technology developments such as green hydrogen fuel. But Europe’s airline chiefs argue there is simply too little SAF and want governments to incentivise its production.
Luis Gallego, chief executive of British Airways and Iberia parent IAG, told the Airlines for Europe conference: “Policy support is critical to develop SAF plants. We have less than 1% of what we need. This is not a problem of airlines’, it’s a problem of governments’. Our aircraft today could fly with 50% SAF, but there is no SAF. We’re asking for investment, for policies.”
Lufthansa Group chief executive Carsten Spohr insisted: “There is not enough SAF in Europe . . . or anywhere. If Lufthansa could access all the SAF in the world we could not even fly for four days.”
He pointed out: “Biofuels cost four to five times more than kerosene and SAF can cost eight to 10 times more.”
O’Leary insisted: “We’re all committed to SAFs, but they’re not going to deliver the level of emissions cuts we need in the next five to 10 years. For the foreseeable future, SAFs are not going to account for a lot of fuel.”