SABA: Procurement of Next-Gen Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Through a new request for proposals (RFP) the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) plans to increase the supply of next-generation sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), including power-to-liquids and those using advanced bio-based feedstocks.
This first-of-its-kind aggregated SAF procurement is designed to deliver a much-needed boost to scalable long-term SAF production capacity.
By focusing the RFP on next-gen fuels, SABA seeks to channel investment toward SAF with fewer feedstock constraints than today's commercially available fuels, enabling more effective long-term decarbonisation of the aviation sector.
Corporate collaboration powers sustainable flight revolution
SABA membership comprises more than 35 companies from a variety of sectors – including finance, technology, media and entertainment, business consulting and others seeking to reduce their aviation emissions through investment in sustainable aviation fuel.
Through this RFP, SABA will facilitate five- to 10-year forward purchasing commitments on behalf of its members at sufficient volumes to support final investment decision (FID) for a new next-generation SAF production facility.
"The SAF market is growing rapidly but the technologies we need to fully decarbonise the aviation sector are still in their infancy," says Kim Carnahan, CEO of the Center for Green Market Activation and head of SABA Secretariat.
"Investment needs to happen now if we want these technologies to scale post-2030 and keep the aviation sector on track to meet its long-term net zero goals."
Breaking the 1% barrier
The SAF market represents an immediate opportunity to decarbonise aviation through drop-in fuels compatible with existing aircraft fleets.
Despite recent growth, SAF constitutes less than 1% of total aviation fuel consumption today, with the market primarily consisting of SAF produced from traditional feedstocks like waste oils, which face scaling limitations beyond 2030.
SAF with the highest scaling potential—derived from renewable hydrogen, agricultural and forestry residues and municipal solid waste—currently represents only a small fraction of available SAF.
Without targeted investment now, these fuels may not reach the production volumes necessary to meet global decarbonisation goals.
Innovative book and claim system drives industry transformation
SABA collaborates with corporate partners to create the demand signals necessary for advanced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producers to confidently scale their operations.
Through a book and claim system, corporate customers purchase sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc), enabling them to invest in SAF and claim the environmental benefits, regardless of whether the fuel directly powers their flights.
This investment allows travellers to report greenhouse gas emissions reductions in their climate disclosures, while the physical SAF is delivered to aircraft operators.
Bryan Fisher, Managing Director at SABA co-founder RMI, adds: "Book and claim is the bridge between the aviation industry's sustainable fuel ambitions and scalable real-world production, and SABA is helping build it.
"By mobilising corporate demand and catalysing investment in cutting-edge fuel production, we can fast-track innovation, expand high-integrity supply and deliver the climate results the aviation sector urgently needs."
Since launching in 2021, SABA has facilitated approximately $200 million in total SAF investments.
This began with a 2021 proof-of-concept pilot procurement for a short-term offtake period, followed by a landmark multi-year procurement in 2023-2024 that engaged 27 participants and supported roughly 50 million gallons of SAF.
The newly announced RFP aims to secure longer-term offtake agreements to help production facilities reach Final Investment Decision (FID) by 2026 and become operational by 2030.
"This RFP is an opportunity for corporate leaders, forward-looking airlines and next generation fuel producers to work together toward a truly net-zero aviation sector," says Elizabeth Sturcken, Vice President at Environmental Defense Fund, a SABA co-founder.
"We must be strategic in how we grow the SAF market with environmental integrity so that we can decarbonise the aviation sector without placing new demands on limited feedstocks or land resources that may create new environmental problems."
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