South Africa could be regional SAF leader: Iata

The International Association of Air Transport (Iata) is urging South Africa to leverage its experience, resources and infrastructure to accelerate the development of its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production for the Africa continent.

"South Africa has vast potential to become a leading [SAF] producer in the region," said Iata senior vice president for sustainability Marie Owens Thomsen at an industry conference. "More than a strategy in support of aviation's decarbonisation, it is a strategy for economic development and should be a top priority for the new South African government," she added.

Iata said South Africa has several advantages in developing SAF production, such as great feedstock potential — including sugarcane and biomass — significant production capacity, existing refinery infrastructure and strategic geographic location.

The association said last month that SAF production is on track to triple in 2024 from 2023. It estimates that global SAF production will reach around 1.9bn litres (1.5mn t) in 2024, from an estimate of 500,000t in 2023. This would account for 0.53pc of aviation fuel needed in 2024. So far, 140 SAF projects are scheduled to start production by 2030. If these proceed, total renewable fuel production capacity will be 51mn t by 2030, the association said. But, estimated renewable fuel capacity has been revised lower from 69mn t expected by 2028, from the association's report in December. The decrease is attributed to an evaluation of projects against more stringent criteria for the potential to meet SAF's sustainability criteria and that some projects have progressed at a slower rate, Iata added.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) set an ambition to cut 5pc of CO2 emissions from international aviation by 2030. To achieve this, around 27pc of all expected renewable fuel production capacity available in 2030 would need to be SAF. Currently SAF accounts for 3pc of all renewable fuel production, Iata said.

By Evelina Lungu