IATA Report Confirms Sufficient Feedstock to Reach Net Zero Aviation by 2050

According to IATA’s Net Zero Roadmap, airlines will require around 500 million tonnes (Mt) of SAF annually by mid-century.

 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in partnership with Worley Consulting, has released a groundbreaking study confirming that the global airline industry has access to sufficient sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstock to achieve its target of net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. The study provides reassurance to policymakers and industry leaders that SAF can deliver on its promise as the central pillar of aviation’s decarbonization strategy—if urgent action is taken to scale up production.

SAF at the Heart of Aviation Decarbonization

According to IATA’s Net Zero Roadmap, airlines will require around 500 million tonnes (Mt) of SAF annually by mid-century. The new study concludes this is technically feasible with sustainable feedstocks that do not drive land-use change or compromise food security.

Two major streams of SAF will be needed:

• Biomass-based SAF: More than 300 Mt per year could come from biomass by 2050, provided technological efficiencies improve and competition for feedstocks is managed.

• Power-to-liquid (PtL) or e-SAF: Roughly 200 Mt per year must come from PtL pathways, requiring large-scale deployment of renewable electricity, hydrogen, and carbon capture.

The report emphasizes that conversion efficiencies, feedstock logistics, and infrastructure expansion will be decisive factors in achieving these production levels.

Barriers to Unlocking SAF Potential

Despite the abundance of potential feedstocks, several critical barriers remain:

• Technology deployment: Current SAF production at commercial scale is almost exclusively based on HEFA technology (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids), using feedstocks such as used cooking oil. Wider deployment of alternative technologies is lagging.

• Competition for resources: Other hard-to-abate sectors, including shipping and heavy industry, also require biomass inputs. Aviation must be prioritized in feedstock allocation policies due to the lack of viable alternatives.

• Policy and investment gaps: A lack of coherent government policies, slow permitting processes, and underinvestment in SAF infrastructure are stalling growth.

• Energy sector alignment: Large-scale SAF rollout depends on energy producers investing in PtL and advanced biofuel technologies while aligning strategies with climate goals.

Regional Opportunities and Global Drivers

The study identifies North America, Brazil, Europe, India, China, and ASEAN nations as key drivers of global SAF growth. Each region has significant opportunities to build SAF industries that create jobs, enhance energy security, and stimulate local economies while contributing to global emissions reductions.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, underlined the cross-sector potential:

“The report highlights the local and regional opportunities for SAF production to create jobs, stimulate economies, and support energy security goals. Governments, energy producers, investors, and the aviation sector must work together, de-risk investment, and accelerate rollout. Policy certainty and cross-sector collaboration are essential to unlock the scale we need. The time to act is now—delays will only make the challenge harder.”

Calls for Immediate Action

IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh stressed that the study provides clarity on the feasibility of decarbonizing aviation through SAF:

“We now have unequivocal evidence that if SAF production is prioritized, then feedstock availability is not a barrier. There is enough sustainable feedstock to reach net zero by 2050. However, this will only be accomplished with a major acceleration of the SAF industry’s growth. We need shovels in the ground now.”

Walsh added that SAF production is not just an environmental imperative but also a driver of new jobs, investment, and innovation across the global energy and aviation value chains.

The Road Ahead

Key recommendations from the study include:

• Accelerating technology rollout to bring new SAF pathways to market, particularly PtL.

• Strengthening feedstock supply chains and ensuring aviation has priority access.

• Enhancing infrastructure for collection, transport, and processing of feedstocks.

• Coordinating government policy globally to unlock markets and attract investment.

• Engaging the energy industry to align strategies with decarbonization goals.

With only 25 years remaining to transform the aviation fuel system, the report frames SAF as both an opportunity and a test of global resolve. The conclusion is clear: the feedstock potential exists, but realizing it will depend on immediate political will, policy certainty, and large-scale private and public investment.

As Walsh summarized:

“With this study it becomes clear that we can make SAF the solution it needs to be for aviation’s decarbonization. The potential is proven—now we must act.”