Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is the most important tool in the aviation industry's efforts to reduce harmful CO2 emissions. These propellants are produced from agricultural raw materials and food waste, and in the future could be derived from algae or hydrogen mixed with CO2. However, the high cost of production, up to four times that of traditional aircraft paraffin, discourages companies. 

This is the finding of a French study conducted by Archery Strategy for the Montaigne Institute and published today. According to analysts, SAF's supply remains low partly because the industry is waiting for governments to create demand by setting targets for the blending of biofuels into paraffin. The same technique was used by car companies when road biodiesel was introduced and it worked.

Today, world production of SAF is no more than 100,000 tonnes, but development projects aim to reach 3.6 million in the short term, still 1% of total needs, analysts point out. However, according to some, the growth of the sector will continue to increase costs due to the shortage of raw materials (food and agricultural waste). For this reason, there are already those who are studying the production of biofuel from crops that compete with human food: the aviation industry is unanimously opposed to this.