Cepsa, Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, and BIOCIRC (Spanish Biocircularity Association) presented a report with 16 economic, regulatory and public-private collaboration measures to boost the production and consumption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) – an alternative that reduces the environmental impact of the airline sector by reducing CO2 emissions – to position Spain as the European leader in this new technology and sustainable tourism.
The conditions available in Spain for the production of SAF represent a great opportunity for the national economy. For this reason, the four entities propose making the development of SAF a national project, positioning Spain as a European hub and placing it at the forefront of sustainable tourism and the energy transition.
The report ‘How to make Spain the European leader in SAF? Roadmap to accelerate the decarbonisation of air transport’ points out that the new industry to produce this sustainable fuel will require an investment of 22 billion euros to construct facilities and generate 270,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs until 2050. The development of this industry, therefore, could have an impact of 13 billion euros on Spanish GDP just for the construction of the plants, to which would also be added 42,851 million euros for the operation of these plants until 2050 (in addition to the investment and jobs linked to this phase).
The report highlights the need to establish a regulatory framework that provides security to the agents involved, allowing them to invest with confidence in this emerging industry. It also highlights the importance of jointly assuming the necessary investments and the increase in costs so that SAF is a sustainable and viable solution in the short term, since its price is between 3 and 5 times higher than fossil-based kerosene. Likewise, the development of innovative technologies for its production, as well as the deployment of industrial facilities with the adequate capacity to meet the demand for SAF, is essential to take advantage of the potential of the raw materials available in Spain.
The study notes that, while the announced SAF production capacity using the most widely used technology today, HEFA, could meet needs for 2030, but it would not be able to meet the demand for 2040 and the need for e-SAF synthetic fuels (obtained from green hydrogen). To ensure the energy independence and decarbonisation of the aviation sector in Spain and access to aviation fuels by 2050, it would be necessary to build 3 HEFA biofuel plants, 5 synthetic fuel plants and at least 24 SAF AtJ (Alcohol to Jet) and FT (Fischer Tropsch) biofuel plants. The report also highlights the importance of locating the SAF production plants close to raw materials, contributing not only to decarbonising the economy but also to the social and economic development of rural areas. Therefore, it is essential to establish a legal framework that facilitates the necessary investments, as well as encouraging the development of new technologies for the production of SAF, which are key to achieving the objectives beyond 2030.
According to Maarten Wetselaar, CEO of Cepsa, “The development of SAF is the main lever for the decarbonisation of the aviation sector, but at the same time, it can generate a new Spanish industry that fosters economic growth, job creation and greater energy independence. At Cepsa we are delighted to join Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, and BIOCIRC in jointly proposing measures that make Spain a European hub for SAF and a benchmark for sustainable air mobility. There is a global race to find a position in this new market, which is why we must accelerate the implementation of all the necessary measures so that Spain does not miss this opportunity.”
Marco Sansavini, President and CEO of Iberia, highlights that “We must not let this great opportunity for the country pass us by. We call on the central government and the rest of the public administrations to join forces in a national SAF strategy. We believe that now is the time for the government to launch a good incentive policy, just as it has already successfully done with green hydrogen. We are facing the perfect opportunity to promote the reindustrialisation of Spain, create jobs and wealth, and decarbonise such a complicated sector as aviation.”
Carolina Martinoli, President and CEO of Vueling, said: “We must highlight the role that the aviation industry plays in connectivity, integration and accessibility to multiple destinations; in addition to its social contribution and its impact on the economy and employment. For this reason, SAF is a key tool in the decarbonisation of this sector. But we need incentives to create a more competitive environment that allows us to scale up production and reduce its costs.”
Margarita de Gregorio, CEO of BIOCIRC, said, “The message we are sending today is unequivocal: Spain can be a leader in SAF production. The ambitious European objectives of REFuelEU Aviation open a window of opportunity for a country like ours, with so many renewable resources (both biomass and energy) to manufacture SAF in our territories and great scientific-technical and industrial capacity. The added value could not be more strategic, as it will allow industrialisation, replacing fossil aviation fuels with renewable ones and addressing the demographic challenge. And it is also inclusive, as all the agents involved in the value chain can participate, from the primary and secondary sectors, to public and private agents, and at all levels: national, autonomous, regional and local. We urgently need a framework strategy for the country, which establishes the regulatory, political and incentive scenario that facilitates the viability of the projects. We are not talking about the future, but about the immediate present.”
The report highlights the importance of coordinating agreements between the various agents that make up the value chain, including public administrations, to ensure the sustainable development of this industry. For this reason, it calls for the streamlining of permits and authorisations, the development of airport infrastructures, as well as the establishment of a European mechanism for the traceability of SAF. It also mentions the difficulties of accessing the different types of waste used as the necessary raw material, due to their high dispersion, and the lack of a centralised body to facilitate their management, as well as the absence of incentives or obligations to support this effort.
The article Cepsa, Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, and BIOCIRC promote SAF as a national project to lead sustainable air transport first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.
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