From 2025 the UK will require aviation fuel suppliers to blend in increasing amounts of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into the fuel they supply.  The UK policy places great emphasis on SAF which is made from wastes and industrial waste gases, and will cap the amounts of the most commercially-developed form of SAF known as HEFA.  HEFA is made from used cooking oil and other waste fats, as well as oil crops (although crop-based HEFA will not qualify at all under the UK’s mandate).

The ministerial forward to the consultation states

“Our vision is for the UK to be a global leader in the development, production and use of SAF,
allowing us to grow the sector sustainably and achieve net zero flying. Building domestic
SAF production capacity represents not only a significant economic opportunity but also a
means for strengthening our energy security.”

The RTFA welcomes this aspiration, but warns that the mandate buy-out price needs to be higher if this is to become a reality.

The mechanism also needs to be complemented by measures to enable project developers to finance their production plants.

Read our response here: 23-06 RTFA 2nd SAF M consultation response