Spain's aviation sector proposes 16 measures to achieve SAF leadership by 2050

Cepsa, Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling and BIOCIRC (Spanish Biocircularity Association) presented (16-Sep-2024) a report entitled: 'How to make Spain the European leader in SAF? Roadmap to accelerate the decarbonisation of air transport', outlining 16 economic, regulatory and public-private collaboration measures to boost the production and consumption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The report states the new industry to produce the SAF will require an investment of EUR22 billion to build facilities and generate 270,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs by 2050. The development of the industry could contribute EUR13 billion to Spain's GDP from the construction of the plants and an additional EUR42.85 billion from their operation until 2050. The report outlines the need to build three HEFA biofuel plants, five synthetic fuel plants and at least 24 alcohol-to-jet and FischerTropsch biofuel plants, to ensure the energy independence and decarbonisation of the Spanish aviation sector in 2050. The proposed measures include the creation of a fund of over EUR300 million p/a to finance the development of production plants and encourage their use, using the revenues obtained by the state through the auction for emission rights. The partners also advocate for the adoption of a national pact between the government and the sector to establish a national SAF strategy to prioritise the sector in the energy and industrial policy agenda. [more - original PR]