India Could Become a Major Hub for Sustainable Aviation Fuel with 100 Million Tonnes of Biomass Feedstock by 2030: Study

 

New Delhi, September 23 — India has the potential to become a key centre for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in South Asia, with the country’s biomass feedstock projected to reach 100 million tonnes by 2030, according to a study released on Tuesday.

 

Sustainable aviation fuel is expected to play a critical role in reducing carbon emissions from the rapidly growing global airline industry. Current production is estimated at just 2 million tonnes this year, while global requirements could reach nearly 500 million tonnes by 2050 to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in air transport. Global SAF production could potentially rise to 400 million tonnes by 2050, but meeting this target will require a significant expansion in production capacity and highlights a gap of around 100 million tonnes, according to research by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in collaboration with Worley Consulting.

 

IATA represents nearly 350 airlines, accounting for more than 80 percent of global air traffic. The study suggests that India could leverage its experience from ethanol blending programmes and implement strategic government policies to become a significant SAF production hub in South Asia.

 

India has a diverse range of potential SAF feedstocks, including sugar and starch-based ethanol, waste oils such as used cooking oil (UCO) and tallow, agricultural and forestry residues, and municipal solid waste (MSW). Together, these could produce approximately 100 million tonnes of SAF biomass feedstock by 2030, rising to 150 million tonnes by 2050. The potential could increase further with the expansion of non-food energy crops.