Europe widens its lead over US, Asia in switch to cleaner jet fuel
In Luxembourg, Luxembourg Times reported that European airlines surged ahead in their use of sustainable aviation fuel last year, while carriers in the US and Asia fell further behind, according to a Bloomberg analysis of dozens of airline environmental filings.
British Airways’ parent company IAG led passenger airlines with 3.3% of its jet fuel coming from SAF, followed by Air France-KLM at 2.9% and Ryanair at 2.0%. US airlines, meanwhile, hovered between 0.3% and 1%, according to the report.
The growth has largely been driven by mandates in the EU and UK, which kicked in last year and require 2% of jet fuel to be SAF. That obligation steps up to 3.6% this year in the UK, the report added.
The US, by contrast, has shied away from SAF mandates amid opposition from airlines. Federal and state governments instead offer financial incentives to boost production.
IAG alone purchased more SAF last year than all US airlines combined. The owner of British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia bought more than 375 million liters, compared with about 367 million liters consumed by major US carriers, according to industry group Airlines for America.
Category: SAF
