The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is actively driving the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through the newly established EU SAF Clearing House. This initiative plays a crucial role in reducing aviation emissions, a major environmental concern. The EU SAF Clearing House aims to remove barriers hindering the widespread acceptance and approval of novel SAF pathways both within the EU and on a global scale. The rapid integration of SAF is considered the most effective strategy to mitigate aviation’s carbon footprint. However, achieving this requires a significant increase in the availability of SAF that meets the stringent standards required for aviation use.
The EU SAF Clearing House acts as a comprehensive resource for fuel producers, offering essential services for the efficient evaluation of new SAF pathways according to the ASTM D4054 standard. These services encompass preliminary assessments, partial funding for testing, and assistance in report preparation. To meet ambitious decarbonization targets, the aviation industry must significantly ramp up its production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Currently, SAF constitutes less than 0.05% of total aviation fuel consumption across the EU. Expanding the range of fuel production methods and raw materials is crucial to achieve these goals.
For integration into commercial fleets, SAF must undergo a rigorous approval process to ensure they meet exacting certification standards. This process verifies that their physical and chemical properties closely resemble those of conventional jet fuels. This compatibility enables SAF to be seamlessly blended and used with existing aircraft and infrastructure without requiring modifications. The EU SAF Clearing House project, backed by the European Commission and administered by EASA, exemplifies these efforts. Awarded to the sustainable transport team at Ricardo through a competitive tender, this initiative involves collaboration with partners like Trinity College Dublin, Intertek, Politecnico di Torino, ENVISA, and Spark Legal and Policy Consulting. Together, they will develop a network of testing facilities across Europe and beyond, providing evaluation services and guiding producers on the environmental impact of their fuels and compliance with rigorous standards.
