EASA report sets benchmark for SAF adoption and highlights pressure points
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published its first annual technical report under the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, revealing early stage progress across the EU in scaling up the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel.
EASA found that in 2024, SAF accounted for just 0.6% of all aviation fuel supplied at EU airports, but says production capacity assessments suggest the EU is on track to meet its mandatory SAF blending target of 6% by 2030.
By comparison the UK, which operates its own SAF mandate, is aiming for 10% of all jet fuel to be SAF by 2030.
The report highlights significant pressure‑points, notably the cost of SAF and the geographical concentration of production, suggesting that even meeting the relatively modest early‑stage targets will be challenging.
EASA’s key findings:
The average price of SAF in 2024 was €2,085/tonne (vs €734/tonne for conventional jet fuel)
Production capacity assessments indicate the EU is on track to meet the overall mandatory SAF blending target (6%) in 2030
25 fuel suppliers provided SAF to 33 EU airports across 12 Member States. However, airports in 5 Member States alone (France, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Germany) accounted for 99% of supply, showing how concentrated the market remains.
Almost all SAF was biofuel, produced overwhelmingly from used cooking oil (81%), with a further 17% from waste animal fats.
Synthetic SAF fuels were absent from the fuel mix in 2024, highlighting that the technology is still in an early stage at the EU.
69% of feedstock originated from outside the EU, with China (38%) and Malaysia (12%) supplying the bulk. Finland led as the largest EU contributor (10%).
Maria Rueda, EASA’s Safety Management, Strategy and Global Outreach Director said, "This first Annual Technical Report marks an important milestone… A functioning reporting system is now in place, initial reporting compliance levels are solid, and SAF delivery is happening across multiple Member States. This report sets an important benchmark for our sustainability efforts in the future.”
In the longer-term, the EU is aiming for a 32% SAF blending target by 2040, compared to the UK’s ambition of 22% within the same time frame, although the UK has included more detailed sub-targets which aim to steer production toward advanced SAF pathways that deliver higher emission-savings.