IATA: Corporate demand could support up to 1.9 million tonnes of SAF by 2030

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airbus and Accenture released a SAF Environmental Attribute Certificate (EAc) Market study which estimates that corporate purchases could support between 1.0 million and 1.9 million tonnes of SAF by 2030, up from an estimated 323,000 tonnes in 2024. This is a strong demand signal for more SAF production, provided factors limiting corporate participation, such as unclear accounting rules, high prices, and purchasing complexity, are addressed. SAF can significantly reduce aviation emissions compared with conventional jet fuel, but global production in 2026 is expected to be just 2.4 million tonnes or 0.8% of total jet fuel use and it remains two to three times more expensive than conventional jet fuel. Enabling corporates to meet scope 3 emissions objectives (for business travel and air cargo shipments) through SAF EAc purchases would help co-share the SAF cost by expanding the market to more participants in the value chain. This would require a robust and effective book-and-claim system that enables the claim of the SAF emissions reduction benefits by corporates regardless of where the fuel is delivered and ultimately consumed. “SAF is aviation’s most important decarbonization lever, but airlines cannot shoulder the cost of scaling it up alone. Corporate buyers have a unique opportunity to help build the SAF market, contribute to the cost of air transport’s energy transition, and benefit from recognized scope 3 emissions reductions in the process. The potential is substantial, but it will only be realized if companies can participate with confidence, knowing that their contributions will count and that the process is simple and credible. Getting these foundations right will help unlock investment, grow the market, and accelerate SAF production,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist. “This study clearly demonstrates that corporate demand is a powerful, untapped catalyst for scaling SAF. By giving corporate buyers the accounting certainty they need to co-fund the SAF premium, book-and-claim can transform potential interest into firm commitments, sending the near-term demand signal fuel producers need to accelerate production and lower costs across the industry,” said Julien Manhes, Vice President, Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Carbon Dioxide Removal Development, Airbus. “SAF will do most of the heavy lifting on aviation decarbonization, but airlines and a select group of corporates cannot carry its cost all the way to 2050. Only around 15% of surveyed corporates are purchasing today, but the majority are waiting for the price to come down, for the carbon accounting to settle, and for the buying process to get simpler. Airlines that establish SAF cost-recovery capabilities now will be best positioned when growth in the SAF EAc market accelerates. The opportunity today is to focus on the sectors where demand is already emerging, making SAF attributes simple and transparent to buy, and invest in the systems, partnerships, and customer relationships that can scale as the market matures,” said Jesko Neuenburg, Global Aviation & Travel Sustainability Lead, Accenture. SAF EAc generally cost between USD 150 and USD 500 for each tonne of CO2e emissions abated, while companies report being willing to pay closer to USD 300. Airlines account for approximately 53% of corporate SAF certificate purchases, making them the largest source of certificates for companies seeking to address emissions from business travel and air freight. The study identifies three priorities to enable greater corporate participation: Clear and consistent accounting rules that provide confidence that purchased emissions reductions will be recognized; Transparent and interoperable tracking systems that prevent double counting and ensure environmental integrity; and Simpler purchasing mechanisms, including greater price transparency, lower minimum purchase volumes and shorter contract durations. “Corporate participation alone will not deliver the scale of SAF that aviation requires. Continued government support, effective incentives and a significant expansion of production capacity remain essential. But every additional corporate purchase converts climate ambition into real market demand and helps distribute the cost of decarbonization more broadly. The next step is making participation easier, more accessible and more credible for companies of all sizes,” said Owens Thomsen. ICAO joins Supporting Alliance for CORSIA EEU Supply The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced at its World Sustainability Symposium that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has joined the Supporting Alliance for CORSIA EEU Supply (the Alliance). The Alliance brings together more than 80 CORSIA stakeholders to address bottlenecks that limit the availability of Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs). Its work focuses on practical implementation support, including facilitating the processes needed to authorize emissions units for use under CORSIA while avoiding double counting. This supports countries in navigating the interface between their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and the requirements for authorizing emissions units for use under CORSIA. It also helps countries access technical expertise and practical resources to participate effectively in carbon markets and implement Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. While momentum is building in EEU issuance ahead of the 2027 CORSIA compliance deadline, significant work remains to ensure sufficient supply. As of August 2026, 42 CORSIA-compatible Letters of Authorization covered 72 million EEUs, compared with 40 million at the start of the year. A substantial gap exists to cover the estimated 200-250 million EEUs required for the initial compliance cycle. “The growth in EEU supply is encouraging, but the pace must accelerate. ICAO’s participation strengthens the cooperation needed among all stakeholders to unlock the needed supply. This is essential for CORSIA to deliver on its promise as it is the only globally agreed framework for addressing international air transport emissions,“ said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist. “ICAO is working to ensure the successful implementation of CORSIA by governments, the aviation industry, and carbon market stakeholders. Through close collaboration, we are ensuring that sufficient CORSIA EEUs will be available, and our participation in the CORSIA Supporting Alliance will strengthen the pathway to carbon-neutral growth,” said Tetsuya Tanaka, Deputy Director, Environment at ICAO. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]