UK fights for greener flights with sustainable aviation mandate

Flights are set to be greener as the UK’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate officially came into force on 1 January 2025.

SAF is made from sustainable sources, such as materials like household waste or used cooking oil and produces an average of 70 percent less carbon emissions than traditional fossil-based aviation fuel.

By law, this type of fuel must now make up at least two percent of all jet fuel in flights taking off from the UK from 2025, growing year-on-year to 10 percent by 2030 and 22 percent by 2040.

According to the Government, these targets should see around 1.2 million tonnes of SAF
supplied to the UK airline industry each year by 2030 – enough to circle the globe 3,000 times.

By making the UK one of the first countries in the world to sign the mandate into law, the Government hopes to bring UK to the forefront of decarbonising air travel.

Together with the other actions being taken to grow a UK SAF industry, it will support thousands of skilled jobs in every part of the country, deliver economic growth and help make the UK a clean energy superpower.

Minister for Aviation, Mike Kane, said: “Today marks a significant milestone for the UK SAF industry. 

“With thousands of jobs
supporting the UK SAF industry and flying becoming popular than ever, the mandate will help deliver our Plan for Change, helping to grow the economy and giving people the freedom to travel in a more sustainable way.”

Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, commented: “UK airlines support the SAF Mandate as both a powerful and practical tool for driving down aviation carbon emissions and a clear signal that the industry is fully committed to a net zero future.

“The UK mandate is ambitious and scaling SAF production will mean further work to expand eligible feedstocks, incentives to help cut costs and, critically, ensuring the design of the
revenue certainty mechanism enables the UK to increase production of advanced fuels this decade whilst keeping costs as low as possible, critical for achieving mandate compliance and avoiding supplier buy-out.”

The start of the SAF Mandate is only one milestone on the UK’s path towards decarbonising aviation and comes following the first meeting of the Jet Zero Taskforce – a new and refreshed group charting a clear path toward cleaner aviation.

The Government has also confirmed it will introduce a revenue certainty mechanism for SAF producers to attract investment in new plants in the UK. 

Working alongside the mandate, it will help to reduce risk, give investors
the confidence they need to invest in UK SAF plants and encourage the supply of SAF for the UK aviation sector. 

A further consultation on the revenue certainty mechanism will be launched early this year.

Duncan McCourt, Chief Executive of Sustainable Aviation, said: “SAF is a critical component in the industry’s plan to reach net zero, representing almost 40 percent of the carbon reduction that will make net zero a reality in 2050.

“Alongside the mandate, we also need a well-designed revenue certainty mechanism to help accelerate domestic SAF production and support compliance with the mandate, by kickstarting UK SAF production in earnest this decade. 

“We look forward to the upcoming consultation and to the mechanism being delivered into law as soon as possible.”