India is poised to become a significant hub for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in South Asia, with the country's potential biomass feedstock projected to reach 100 million tonnes by 2030. This projection comes from a recent study that highlights India's strategic advantage in the SAF sector.
The SAF Opportunity
SAF is crucial for decarbonizing the rapidly growing global airlines' industry. To achieve net-zero CO2 emissions in air transport by 2050, nearly 500 million tonnes of SAF will be required. Current SAF production is estimated at a mere 2 million tonnes this year. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) projects that global SAF production could potentially reach 400 million tonnes by 2050; however, this still leaves a significant shortfall of around 100 million tonnes.
India's potential to produce 100 million tonnes of SAF biomass feedstock by 2030 positions it as a key player in bridging this gap. By 2050, this potential could further increase to 150 million tonnes, especially with the expansion of non-food energy crops.
India's Feedstock Advantage
India boasts a wide array of potential SAF feedstocks, including sugar/starch-based ethanol, waste oils (UCO and tallow), agricultural and forestry residues, and municipal solid waste (MSW). While the total unconstrained feedstock potential might exceed 1,375 million tonnes in 2030, approximately 8%, or 105 million tonnes, is likely available for SAF production. Agricultural residues are expected to play a key role, constituting around 71% of the total potential feedstock for SAF in 2030, followed by forestry residues and wood waste.
Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu has emphasized India's natural advantage in the SAF sector, highlighting the country's capacity to not only meet its own SAF demand but also emerge as a global leader and exporter. India generates over 750 million tonnes of biomass and nearly 230 million tonnes of surplus agricultural residue, both of which are key feedstocks for SAF production.
Policy and Targets
The Indian government is actively working on a comprehensive policy to promote SAF production and use. India has announced its participation in the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Long-Term Aspirational Goals (LTAG) from 2027 onwards. In line with ICAO's Global Framework, India has set targets of a 1% SAF blend by 2027, 2% by 2028, and 5% by 2030 for international flights.
To achieve these targets, the study recommends urgent policy measures such as setting up a SAF Council with high-level representatives from government departments and CEOs from relevant stakeholders to develop a vision and strategy for the domestic SAF sector. It also presses for urgent action to establish a policy framework for SAF development in India to address challenges like slow commercialization of technologies and high production costs.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
Scaling up SAF production in India would have multiple benefits, including a reduction in crude oil imports and the lowering of annual carbon emissions by 20–25 million tonnes. It would also boost farmers' incomes through the creation of a value chain for agricultural residue and promote rural economy and clean energy innovation. The SAF industry could create 1.1 to 1.4 million jobs across the value chain and raise farmers' income by 10–15 per cent through the use of crop residue.
SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional aviation fuels. Sustainable-based jet fuel exhibits a lower environmental impact, resulting in 22g CO2 eq/MJ emissions, encompassing renewable hydrocarbon feedstock collection, transportation, and refining. When this sustainable jet fuel is combusted, it emits 73g CO2 eq/MJ into the atmosphere.
Challenges and Recommendations
Despite the immense potential, challenges remain in the commercialization of SAF technologies and high production costs. Industry experts say that the lack of supporting infrastructure and ecosystem makes SAF production costly. Large investments are needed to set up facilities, but financing remains limited, especially in the early stages.
To overcome these challenges and achieve the goals set forth by IATA, the following actions have been proposed:
Among the various pathways for production of sustainable aviation fuel, the study recommends SAF through the alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) process as the “largest opportunity for India” because there are feedstock options available for ethanol and because of ease of transportation and aggregation.
