Sustainable aviation fuels

Brief overview

• Large aircraft will continue to require kerosine and similar fuels in the future.
• In order to achieve the climate target of net zero carbon by 2050, international civil aviation is focusing on the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).
• SAFs reduce carbon dioxide and other climate effects such as the formation of contrails.
• The use of SAFs improves air quality at airports, as black carbon emissions are drastically reduced.
• SAFs are fossil-free and do not compete with food and animal feed production. Switzerland produces SAFs from waste such as used cooking oil.
• Today's engines allow a blending ratio of 50 per cent SAFs; from 2030 this should rise to 100 per cent.

A closer look

International civil aviation currently accounts for 2 to 2.5 per cent of global carbon emissions caused by human activities. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is aiming for carbon growth from 2020. In the long term, ICAO has adopted a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Kerosene and kerosine-like fuels will still be needed to operate large aircraft over the coming decades. The key to achieving net-zero carbon emissions lies in the use of sustainable aviation fuels.
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) have an important role to play in achieving international targets, as they do not cause any emissions of fossil-based carbon dioxide. SAFs will make it possible to reduce up to 99 per cent of fossil carbon emissions.
Fuels are sustainable when they do not compete with the production of food and animal feed. Switzerland produces SAFs from waste such as used cooking oil.
The Federal Council Dispatch on the CO2 Act includes measures to promote SAFs for the period after 2024. This provides for mandatory blending and additional funding for the development of SAFs. An overview of SAF technologies can be found in the FOCA report on fostering the development and uptake of sustainable aviation fuels (PDF, 132 kB, 15.12.2022).

International civil aviation working towards sustainable fuels

By 2030, alternative fuels should reduce carbon emissions from international aviation by five per cent, a figure agreed by the more than 100 participating states at the. Konferenz ICAO Conference on Aviation and alternative fuels, held in Dubai on 24 November 2023. In addition to sustainable kerosene-like fuels, the term 'alternative fuels' includes other fuels such as hydrogen from renewable sources.