India Poised to Meet SAF Demand, Export Surplus: Government Study

Speedy Summary

• A feasibility study conducted by the Indian government highlights India’s potential to develop a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry capable of meeting internal demand and exporting excess capacity.
• India could produce 14-33 million tonnes of SAF annually from feedstocks such as vegetable oils, sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, and municipal solid waste; other production methods like waste gas fermentation were not included in the estimate.
• The study was initiated by India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation with support from ICAO and the European Union under ICAO’s ACT-SAF Programme, aiming to promote sustainable aviation fuels globally.
• India plans a phased SAF blending target for international flights: 1% by 2027, 2% by 2028, and 5% by 2030 to comply with ICAO’s CORSIA scheme for CO2 reduction.
• Policy recommendations include setting up a SAF Council comprising stakeholders to strategize domestic advancement and establishing frameworks addressing challenges like high costs and slow commercialization of technologies.
• Alcohol-to-Jet (atj) pathways using ethanol are identified as India’s largest prospect due to available feedstock options; however, there is competition with road transport’s ethanol demands under E20 petrol blends.

Indian Opinion Analysis

India’s ambitious plan to harness its vast biogenic resources for scale-up of its SAF sector signifies both an economic opportunity and a step toward environmental sustainability in global aviation. if successfully implemented through initiatives such as AtJ technology adoption or policy-making driven by collaboration across stakeholders,this could position the country as a leader in green aviation fuel production while contributing meaningfully toward ICAO’s global CO2 reduction targets.However, challenges related to commercial viability-such as competing ethanol demand from road transport (E20)-highlight critical pressure points that must be addressed proactively. Urgent governmental efforts in forming policy councils and driving second-generation biomass innovations may be required if climate goals are balanced alongside domestic energy priorities.

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