Clean Skies coalition calls for EU biojet mandate

A coalition of airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and fuel suppliers has called for an EU-wide blending mandate for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) — also known as biojet — within the next five years.

Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) wants the European Commission to announce a mandate next year and to implement it by no later than 2025. It wants the mandatory blending ratio to increase up to 2050, with a goal of achieving net-zero emissions from aviation by that date. This would be a powerful incentive to scale up SAF production, CST said.

CST said that around 5pc of global jet fuel demand in 2030 could be met using SAF produced from waste and residues, and that biojet produced from European-sourced waste oils and fats could meet around 5pc of European jet fuel demand by the same time.

The coalition also wants the establishment of a long-term policy framework that stimulates production and consumption of SAF, support for development of new aircraft systems using electricity and hydrogen, and the creation of a single European air traffic control system. It said that the commission should encourage fleet renewal, maintain CO2 pricing policies, support the introduction of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) carbon offsetting scheme Corsia and continue diplomatic efforts to achieve carbon neutrality in global aviation.

The commission launched a consultation in March on promoting decarbonisation of the aviation sector. It proposed the introduction of a 1-2pc EU-wide blending quota and a revision of the 1.2x multiplier component for SAF under the recast Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). The commission has tentatively scheduled SAF legislation by January, but pending a decision on an umbrella quota, several countries have begun to introduce measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the sector and to promote the development of competitive biojet.

CST members include manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, a number of European airports including London Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol, Dutch airline KLM, biojet producer SkyNRG and Shell. CST is formed under the umbrella of private-public partnership advocacy group The World Economic Forum.

By Giulia Squadrin