The Airlines Association calls on the Government to boost Spain's position in the sustainable fuel market.

The Association of Airlines (ALA) continues to urge the government to boost sustainable aviation fuel and "not miss the strategic opportunity" to lead the global market. SAF production is a challenge they believe needs to be addressed "as soon as possible" to bolster Spain's advantageous position in this booming market.

This was stated by the association's president, Javier Gándara, during his speech at the "High-Level Dialogue on the Role of New Fuels in the Decarbonization of Air and Maritime Transport," where he emphasized that the SAF industry in Spain has the capacity to generate 270,000 jobs and strengthen "the country's energy independence."

SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fluid) is a term that encompasses any fuel that can be generated without using fossil fuels, including non-renewable sources such as kerosene, a hydrocarbon derived from petroleum and currently the main fuel used in industry. In the quest for ecological sustainability in aviation, biofuels and hydrogen are positioned as alternatives whose implementation would address greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Some companies already have a small percentage of their fleet running on SAF, with Vueling being representative, with 10% of its total aircraft. In his speech, Gándara reaffirmed the industry's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 with a roadmap that includes SAF and hydrogen, among other solutions. For now, the European Commission has established quotas of 2% for SAF by 2025, which suppliers must offer on their total supply to the EU.

To achieve the zero-emissions goal, according to studies by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), between 3,000 and 6,500 new renewable fuel plants will be needed. In Spain, this figure stands at more than 30 SAF plants, which would entail an investment of 22 billion euros and the creation of 270,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs by 2050.

"The Government's decisive commitment to the development of SAF is necessary, with support policies that allow its development to be scaled up and reduce its price differential compared to conventional kerosene," stated the president of ALA, who emphasized that this year airlines will pay an additional cost of €234.2 million for the use of 2% of SAF in Spain, an amount that "will increase as the share of this fuel progressively increases."