Exploring Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Heathrow
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is an airplane fuel alternative designed to cut lifecycle carbon emissions. It is almost chemically identical to traditional jet fuel and so directly replaces fossil fuel. It can be made from a variety of sources, including different types of waste, and by combining hydrogen with captured carbon. The biggest single contribution that will help us get to Net Zero is changing airline fuel to SAF – it is projected to account for around 40% of the total carbon reductions by 20501.
According to the UK Government SAF emits on average 70% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than using fossil jet fuel on a lifecycle basis2. This could potentially become 100% in future when third generation Power-to-Liquid fuels are available (currently in small scale production).
In 2021, working with Vitol Aviation and Neste, Heathrow became the first UK major airport to successfully integrate SAF into its fuel distribution3. This delivery established proof of concept at Heathrow and was a critical first step in demonstrating to Government that the technology works in reducing carbon from aviation and a supportive policy framework was needed to achieve take up at scale.
In 2022, Heathrow embarked on a ground-breaking journey with the introduction of its SAF incentive programme for airlines. This initiative aligns with our commitment to reducing environmental impact and contributing to global climate goals.
In 20234, Heathrow’s SAF incentive supported airlines to use around 70,000 tonnes of SAF at Heathrow, which made up approximately 1%5 of the total fuel used at the airport. On average, the SAF used at Heathrow reduced fuel carbon emissions by over 90%6 over its lifecycle. Instead of emitting 300,000 tonnes of carbon (tCO2e) as it would have if it was traditional fossil jet fuel, it emitted less than 30,000 tCO2e, resulting in a carbon saving of 270,000 tonnes over its lifecycle.
The scheme incentivises the use of up to 155,000 tonnes of SAF at the airport in 2024, which targets the equivalent of over 340,000 tonnes of carbon cut from flights. £71m is available to airlines to support the swap to cleaner fuels7.
Understanding Heathrow's SAF Incentive Programme
Heathrow's SAF incentive programme has clear objectives:
Purpose:
Our primary goal of the incentive is to actively support and accelerate SAF adoption at Heathrow and throughout the aviation industry. This reinforces collective efforts to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change.
How it works:
Recognising that SAF production incurs higher costs, the incentive approximately halves the price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF8, making SAF more affordable to airlines. The programme does this through creating a SAF incentive “pot”, funded by our aeronautical charges9 Airlines that plan to uplift SAF at Heathrow bid to this pot and receive a rebate. This bridges the cost gap between SAF and traditional fuels, making SAF more accessible and economically viable for airlines at Heathrow.
SAF usage targets:
Heathrow has set an ambition to progressively increase the amount of SAF used at the airport each year, rising to 11% SAF by 2030. Ultimately, Government policy will be fundamental to achieving this ambition, alongside our incentive.
Environmental ambitions:
The incentive scheme plays a pivotal role in our broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions from air travel, aligning with our goal to reduce carbon emissions “in the air” by up to 15% by 2030.
Industry participation:
We're pleased to note significant interest and participation from various airlines in our SAF programme. This industry-wide engagement highlights the critical importance of SAF in sustainable aviation.
UK policy
Heathrow, in collaboration with key industry players, advocates for the widespread adoption of SAF as a key means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, Government policy will be fundamental to achieving the UK’s ambition for SAF on route to Net Zero by 2050. From 2025, the UK Government’s mandate on SAF will come into law, starting at 2% of total jet fuel uplifted in 2025 and rising to 10% by 2030. The UK Government has also proposed a revenue certainty mechanism (RCM) to stimulate a domestic SAF industry. The RCM will give investors’ confidence in their returns from early plants and encourage inward investment into the UK. The new sector will create jobs and growth opportunities in the UK, help secure a supply of SAF for UK airlines, and enhance energy security10.
Passengers can Choose to support SAF
As a passenger travelling through Heathrow, you can also help to address your flight’s carbon emissions by supporting SAF through platform CHOOOSE, selecting any percentage up to 100%. The platform gives passengers the option to support SAF or certified reforestation projects regardless of their airline or end destination.
