SAF: Production capacity, more than feedstock, seen as main bottleneck to reach 2050 objectives (IATA)

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) presented the conclusions of their study on the future of aviation, on 24/09/2025. Produced in collaboration with Worley Consulting, the report identifies sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as the key to decarbonising the aviation sector. The study identifies the actions required to produce 500 million tonnes (Mt) of SAF, the quantified target set out in the IATA Net Zero Roadmaps to achieve net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. The IATA study concludes that there are sufficient resources to reach this goal.

To produce 500 Mt of SAF, two main sources are required: power-to-liquid (PtL) and biomass. 'This last one has the potential to produce more than 300 Mt of bio-SAF annually by 2050', the study says. However, there is a caveat: the aviation industry is not the only user of biomass. Thus, the IATA study warns that the aviation industry must be prioritised over other potential users when allocating resources.

The study also identifies the main barrier to producing SAF: the lack of producers. In order to allow the SAF industry to grow, the…