Sustainable Aviation Fuel Supply Surges in the EU, Beating 2025 Target

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a cleaner alternative to fossil-based jet fuel, produced from sources such as used cooking oil, agricultural waste, or renewable electricity combined with captured CO2 to make synthetic fuel. Under the EU's ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, airlines are required to blend a minimum, rising share of SAF into the fuel used at EU airports, starting at 2% in 2025 and climbing to 6% by 2030 and 70% by 2050.

According to EASA's first annual report on the regulation, the EU comfortably cleared that opening target. SAF supply reached 1.1 million tonnes in 2025, a 2.8% share of the 39.3 million tonnes of aviation fuel supplied at EU airports, almost six times higher than the 193,000 tonnes supplied in 2024. Of that SAF, 84% was produced within the EU itself.

The number of airports supplying SAF jumped from 33 in 2024 to 121 in 2025, covering all 27 member states, and 18 member states now have operational or announced SAF production facilities. On current trends, the Commission expects EU production capacity to stay on track for the 6% blending target due in 2030.

Progress on synthetic e-SAF, the more advanced, harder-to-produce category made using renewable electricity and captured carbon, has been slower but is moving forward, with the EU's first demonstration plant now operational and around 50 further projects awaiting final investment decisions. To help close that gap, eight member states have launched an "eSAF Early Movers Coalition," with Germany, Luxembourg and Austria preparing a pilot funding auction worth over €2.1 billion, while the Commission separately studies a possible EU-wide financing mechanism.

Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said exceeding the first target was "a sign that Europe is moving towards cleaner and more competitive aviation," adding that the priority now is building on that progress while continuing to support industry through the transition.