United Kingdom's Safety Act Enforcement: A Review of the Past Year
The United Kingdom is making significant strides towards the full adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) across the nation. This shift towards greener aviation fuel is not a solitary endeavour, as airports and independent bodies are leading the charge.
In a commendable initiative, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Matchmaker platform. This innovative platform aims to facilitate SAF procurement between airlines and SAF producers, fostering collaboration and accelerating the transition to more sustainable fuel sources.
The British airline industry has been proactive in advancing SAF technologies. Notable efforts include the oneworld alliance and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, who established a $150 million investment fund to accelerate cost-efficient, scalable, and lower-emission SAF solutions. Major players like International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns British Airways, are supporting this initiative.
Farnborough Airport (FAB) announced its intentions to produce and provide approximately 10,000 tonnes of SAF from local waste sources each year. Moreover, FAB aims to produce carbon negative SAF from a variety of mixed waste products, rather than using traditional sources like waste cooking oil or hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA).
Other countries are also preparing to join this green movement. Budapest and the United States are among those preparing to begin using sustainable aviation fuel.
The UK government has taken several measures to accelerate SAF production and delivery. In 2022, the Conservative administration introduced the SAF Mandate, which requires fuel suppliers to ensure a minimum of 2% of their jet fuel is sustainable. This mandate's goal is to reduce harmful emissions released into the atmosphere, with the requirement rising to 22% by 2040.
In 2024, upon coming to power, the Labour government reaffirmed the mandate and introduced the Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM). The government has also announced brand-new measures, pledging an additional 400,000 GBP in funding.
Under the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF), a total of 17 companies, including OXCCU Tech and LanzaJet, have been selected to share 63 million GBP to scale up UK SAF production. OXCCU Tech is developing a demonstration plant at Oxford Airport for SAF production, while LanzaJet is set to build a commercial-scale SAF plant in Teesside.
London Stansted Airport, in collaboration with Cambridge Cleantech, announced plans to explore opportunities for its own production of SAF in the East of England. These efforts aim to leverage the region's existing infrastructure and are forecasted to contribute 10.2 billion GBP in economic value and create over 60,000 green jobs by 2050.
The SAF Mandate was enforced on January 1, 2025. Airports and independent bodies across the UK are working diligently to meet these targets, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for aviation.
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