CATALOGUE OF AIRPORT SAF ACTIONS
Actions for Airports to Stimulate the Uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel


Actions for Airports to Stimulate the Uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
The airport’s role in the Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) value chain must be recognized as production and investment in SAF increases. Although airports are not directly involved in the fuel purchase process, they are responsible for the facilitation of fuel infrastructure, and they can support and stimulate sustainable development onsite. Throughout the SAF value chain, airports can be involved in gathering and sharing information on SAF, such as developments in book and claim, production capacities, and SAF demand.
This Catalogue provides airports with a high-level overview of more than 25 actions they can take to stimulate SAF uptake. These actions are divided by actions that increase SAF uptake, SAF awareness and the leadership an airport is taking in the SAF value chain. As each airport has a specific context in which it operates, each action within this document intends to provide an initial step and inspiration. Depending on the local context, airports can select actions from these categories for further analysis, and eventually for testing and implementation.
Though all actions are relevant for airports, a SAF incentive fund, setting up a SAF stakeholder working group, and a SAF stakeholder coordination team are critical actions to stimulate SAF. They ensure that relevant stakeholders such as airlines and corporate SAF users engage with the airport to procure SAF.
The main objective of the Catalogue is to present a variety of actions that airports can take to stimulate SAF uptake at their airport. It provides the airport with several options they can further develop in collaboration with local stakeholders to stimulate the uptake of SAF. It is imperative airports also facilitate SAF at their airport, more information on this can be found in the Stargate SAF Playbook.
This Catalogue is created for all airports that aspire to increase the SAF uptake or require more information about SAF at airports. It is aimed at the sustainability and strategy managers of airports to guide them in developing actions on SAF.
This document can be used as a guide to gain an understanding of SAF at airports. An overview of actions is given on page 5. Based on the action categories, airports can further scope their search on what types of actions are relevant to their local airport context.
Applying Authority
Financial Support
Regulation
Blending Obligation
Fee Differentiation in Airport Charges
SAF Incentive Fund
Supply chain Investment
Third Party SAF Financing
Providing Information Information Campaigns
Passenger Nudging
Publish Research Results
Revenue based funding of the incentive
Invest in SAF Production Facility
Set Up Tool for Voluntary SAF Purchase by Passengers
Non-revenue based funding of the incentive
Invest in SAF Blending
SAF Supply Chain R&D
Billboards and Other Advertisements at Airport
Gamification of SAF Use
Publish aircraft performance
Stakeholder Engagement
Policy Engagement
Engage with the aviation sector
SAF info Dashboard
Airport SAF User Acknowledgement
Publish SAF Research
Engage with Government for Airline funding
Offsite Advertising and Communication
Events for the general public SAF discussion booth at the airport
Sector Partnerships
Set Up SAF Working Group with Stakeholders
Collaborate with SAF Initiatives
Cross-Stakholders MoU
Aligning Own Organisation
Airport Internal Actions
Start a SAF Internal Coordination Team
Purchase SAF for Own Corporate Flights
Hold internal Workshop on SAF
Set SAF Targets in Corporate Plan/ Roadmap
For these actions, the airport uses its legal authority to reach its goals.
The airport operator can impose rules and regulations on airlines to increase the consumption of SAF. Airlines are stimulated to change their behaviour to benefit from differentiated charges linked to SAF uptake.
SAF quota will require all airlines to refuel a minimum amount of SAF when refuelling at the airport. Depending on the local context and legislation, it must be further determined if this is feasible for an airport.
• Ensures that SAF blending objective is reached.
• Can be aligned or even ahead of other blending obligations.
• Low-cost to the airport
Key concerns
• Dependent on SAF availability.
• Possible conflict with EU mandates or national mandates.
• Airlines may refuel at other airports without additional blending requirement (tankering).
• Risk of dissatisfaction amongst airlines, who may divert to other airports.
Airports can adapt their airport charges to incentivize more sustainable airlines and specifically SAF users. Although this requires extensive deliberation with stakeholders, leading airlines that want to use SAF may be interested in such differentiation.
• Airports use their unique infrastructure position to push other stakeholders towards SAF.
• Stimulates sustainable behaviour by airlines.
• Has to be integrated intro standing agreements on airports charges, or new agreements must be made.
• Subject to regulatory canvas and charges consultation allowing airports to recover the supporting costs of SAF through airport charges.
• Complex integration in airport charges structure and subject to availibility of data.
Airports can undertake action on financial incentives, generating resources or stimulating investment for SAF.
Airport operators can stimulate the uptake of SAF by helping to bridge the price gap between SAF and Jet A1 through a fund. This fund is usually referred to as ‘SAF Incentive Fund’. Generating income for this fund can be achieved through airport revenue-based mechanisms, or through non-revenue mechanisms.
A SAF incentive ensures the airport can financially support airlines to uptake SAF. Airports create a SAF fund that they can finance through different means. Airlines can then use this SAF fund to subsidize the SAF premium, by applying to the airport fund when they refuel with SAF. Thereby airlines drive up the offtake of SAF at the airport. This action can have a large impact on SAF uptake depending on the scale of the fund.
• Establishes the airport as a first mover in SAF.
• As multiple airlines refuel with SAF at the airport, the requirements in operations and safety become clear.
• A large uptake from airlines leads to a continuous and readily available amount of SAF available at the airport.
• At current SAF production costs, this requires a relatively high funding level.
• Requires a follow-up strategy to maintain and further continue SAF uptake beyond the SAF incentive programme.
Subsidy per tonne SBC (neat) SAF Subsidy cap
- €500 SAF
- €1000 Synthetic Fuels
Notes
€2.5M*
Airlines must provide the airport with a forecasted quantity of SAF and provide an updated forecast in October.
*If the cap is exceeded, the available funding is allocated proportionally to the share of forecasted quantities.
Source: Schiphol Airport – Charges and Conditions 2022
Subsidy per tonne blended SAF Subsidy cap
50% of price delta between SAF - Jet A1* €2M
Notes
There is a minimum (€24k) and maximum (€560k) per airline group.
*Incentives will only be given to volumes exceeding the national blending mandate.
Source: Swedavia Airports - SAF Incentive Program 2022
Subsidy per tonne SBC SAF Subsidy cap
€533 SAF (all types)
Notes
€11.6M
SAF Incentive is enacted through NOx charge.
Source: London Heathrow – SAF Incentive in Heathrow Aeronautical Charges, December 2021
Subsidy per tonne SBC SAF Subsidy cap
€ 250 SAF (all types) No cap
Notes
Maximum of €1000 of SAF per refueling/ departure.
Source: Düsseldorf Airport – Tariff Regulations for Düsseldorf Airport
An airport can choose to stimulate SAF uptake directly from their airport revenue. This can come from aeronautical revenue. Possible mechanisms to support the airport fund are increasing airport charges to offset the cost for SAF funding. Retail vouchers or new services for sustainable travelers are also possible mechanisms that may generate new revenue that can be used for the SAF Fund.
Airport charges (to cover SAF related costs)
Retail vouchers
New services for sustainable travellers
Airlines will pay an increased airport charge to cover SAF related costs; this could be similar to a noise or NOx charge. It could also be based on the fuel they uptake. This revenue will directly go to the SAF fund. Therefore, those who use the most fuel contribute most.
charges
• Very transparent.
• ‘Polluter pays’ principle.
• Revenue from taxes will directly be used for SAF.
• Airlines will profit from tax payments in the long-term.
• Could lead to resistance from airlines, saying that an aircraft fuel tax would only slow down decarbonisation.
• Some airport charges are based on long term agreements.
• Makes fuel at the airport more expensive compared to other airports, impacting the competitiveness.
• Risk of tankering.
Concessionaires in the airport terminal can sell “SAF vouchers” to passengers that cover a certain amount of SAF. Passengers can also use these vouchers to receive preferential pricing at the concessionaires. The revenue of the vouchers will go to SAF. As a result of the preferential pricing, retail and food vendors may see increased sales, though at lower profit margins.
• Motivates passengers through monetary benefits to participate.
• Passengers receive monetary benefits, the airport receives money for the fund, food vendors and retail see increased sales.
• Relies on complex concessionaire partnerships.
• May reduce overall margin from airport retail and food vendors.
*Based on earlier work by SFO Airport
The airport could develop a specific service line for travelers that fly on SAF. The revenue that is generated with these services goes into the SAF fund. Options to include in the service line to persuade passengers include green lounges, fast security check and passport control, preferred parking options, decreased parking charges or discounts on public transportation.
• Environmentally friendly behaviour is rewarded: passengers who purchase SAF receive service contributions.
• The airport has already developed these services (lounge, fast-track and parking).
• More effective because it targets passengers who fly more often.
• Possible competition with other services (i.e. airline lounges).
• Public transportation discount requires a contract between public transportation companies and the airport.
• Would make fast-security and lounge more crowded, reducing the benefit of the service.
• Operation costs of services are estimated to be high.
Airports can also try to develop non-revenue-based mechanisms to support the SAF fund or work together closely with governments to develop the SAF fund.
• Does not require funding from revenue streams, and therefore does not impact the business.
• Increases the engagement of the airport with government or shareholders.
• Allows the SAF fund to be detached from the financial future of the airport, making it more robust.
• Government involvement may be regulated by higher bodies such as EU. This must be carefully evaluated.
• Shareholders may not be willing to contribute without a return.
• Requires cooperation with government.
Airport operators can play a role by taking the first step in starting the SAF value chain, which is usually the most difficult step. These investments in production, blending and other supply chain R&D can stimulate SAF uptake.
Airports can use resources to invest in the development of SAF production facility. The objective is to increase the SAF produced and bring down costs for all stakeholders. This also connects the airport more closely with earlier stages of the value chain.
• The airport can arrange that a portion of the produced SAF is reserved for the airport.
• Can potentially be a source of profit for the airport. Diversification of their portfolio.
• The EU blending market makes for a guaranteed uptake market in the future.
• SAF production is capital intense, requiring large investment.
• It’s an emerging industry so investment is risky.
• Relies on expertise of executive party that builds the facility.
• To be included in the cost base for the definition of charges.
Luxembourg airport has invested in synthetic fuel producer Norsk e-fuel, a start up in Norway that aims to achieve production of 25 million liters by 2026. Through the investment, the airport joins the four partners in the consortium that has ownership of Norsk e-Fuel: Sunfire, Climeworks, Valinor and Paul Wurth
Schiphol airport has invested the in SkyNRG SAF plant in Delfzijl, which expects to produce 100,000 tons of SAF by 2025. SkyNRG started a consortium to fund the development of a SAF plant. The consortium includes Schiphol, KLM and many other partners such as energy firms, the Dutch national growth fund and infrastructure developers.
Investing in a SAF blending facility. Based on local context factors such as regulation, available space and SAF demand, both on-site and off-site blending can be explored by the airport.
• Gives the airport the option to offer a variety of blends to airlines.
• Reduces fuel transportation costs as fewer trucks for SAF are needed (1 truck with 100% vs 3 trucks with 33%).
• Increases visibility and presence of SAF to airport partners such as airlines, increasing cooperation.
• Requires neat SAF, which might be difficult to acquire from fuel producers.
• May require space at the airport site, which is valuable.
• High investment costs.
• Extra on-site fuel supply chain may be required.
• The on-site blended fuel must be certified at a special facility.
• To be included in the cost base for the definition of charges.
Using financial resources to stimulate knowledge development on SAF supply chains can strengthen the airports’ connection with SAF value chains and increase the development rate of SAF. Participation in STARGATE itself is a good example.
Key benefits
• Might result in new technology innovations.
• Expands knowledge base.
• Gives the latest information.
• Builds credibility.
Key concerns
• No guarantee on practical use of outcomes.
• Potentially time consuming.
• Does not guarantee any SAF volume at the airport.
Airport operators can facilitate the financing of SAF by third parties, including passengers or corporates. Several SAF purchasing tools and alliances have been set up to support this, and these can be integrated into the airport value chain.
There is a number of tools that facilitate SAF purchasing by passengers or corporates. These tools are often implemented within airline booking systems but can also be included in airport value chains. This may increase the voluntary contributions from passengers and raise awareness. For example, a tool from SkyNRG and CHOOOSE called Fly on SAF can be implemented into the airport’s website. There are also other initiatives being developed.
• Relatively easy to implement.
• Low cost for the airport.
• Connects airports to the first step of the book and claim system.
• Up to now only a small fraction of passengers are wiling to voluntary buy SAF.
• Passengers do not buy tickets on the airport’s website, so they are unlikely to use the tool at large scales.
Actions based on sharing information, with the objective to increase the knowledge of SAF, improve the SAF awareness and raise the voluntary contributions by passengers.
Through information campaigns, airports can communicate to passengers and other stakeholders about SAF, increasing awareness and use.
Billboards and Advertisement Campaigns at the Airport
SAF info Dashboard
Offsite Advertising and Communication Events for the general public
SAF discussion booth at the airport
Inform passengers by means of advertisement at the airport to share information about SAF. Using airport real estate will also showcase the airports involvement and support for SAF.
• Does not involve many other stakeholders, only the agency organizing advertisements at the airport.
• Could be implemented quickly depending on collaboration with advertising agency.
• The opportunity to buy SAF directly could be included through a QR code.
• Need for available billboards.
The airport discloses SAF usage on dashboards at the airport. Over time, this shows the passengers the growth of the market and the commitment of airlines to decarbonize the sector.
• Provides transparency about SAF usage at the airport for the general public.
• If results are broken down by airline, then the passengers are made aware of the level of SAF commitment of their airline.
• Risk of perception of public shaming if broken down by airline.
• Requires willingness to share SAF usage information between airport and operator.
Sharing information on SAF through online channels such as websites, streaming content, and more. Setting up podcasts or videos is also an option.
Key benefits
• Popular communication channel.
• Can be targeted at specific groups, in a way that attracts the attention of this group.
• Flexibility of the campaign in effort and costs.
• Reaches people before they book their flight tickets.
Key concerns
• It may target a group that is already aware of sustainability impact.
Organising events at the airport or withing the community to generate publicity, attract the attention of passengers and increase the awareness of SAF. The difference with previously mentioned actions is that this actions requires active involvement from passengers to join such events.
• Engages and informs passengers.
• Results in feedback from passengers, which may be useful for the airport or other stakeholders.
• Difficult to get people to join.
• Only influences passengers that are at the event, who may already be willing to purchase SAF.
Engaging in an active participation with passengers on SAF will allow airports to gain SAF knowledge and motivate passengers to purchase or contribute to SAF. The option to buy SAF at the stand could be included, allowing passengers to make a direct impact.
Key benefits
• Leads to interaction with passengers and understanding of reasons for purchasing SAF or not.
• Informs passengers while spending time waiting at the airport.
• Shows passengers the airport’s commitment to SAF.
Key concerns
• Requires trained staff.
• Requires that passengers are willing to spend time at the booth.
Nudging is a concept in behavioural economics that proposes positive reinforcement and indirect suggestions as ways to influence the behaviour and decision-making of groups or individuals.
Gamification can be defined as ‘all the activities that contain Game-elements to stimulate behavioural change’. In the context of the airport and the goal of stimulating the uptake of SAF, gamification is viewed as developing a application that increase awareness about the importance of SAF in a playful manner. Such gamification can be developed during a hackathon.
Key benefits
• Fun experience for passengers.
• Can reach people who are not proactively looking for information on SAF.
Key concerns
• Risk of no/little interest by passengers.
The airport SAF counter shows how many people have purchased SAF at the airport over a certain period of time. People rely strongly on other people’s actions when making decisions. This action uses social references to change people’s behaviour.
NUMBER OF PASSENGERS THAT ALREADY PURCHASED SAF FOR THEIR FLIGHT
Key benefits
• Gives passengers acknowledgement for SAF purchase.
• Stimulates passengers to lead by example.
Key concerns
• Start up phase important to reach a critical count.
Reporting on SAF developments to increase the understanding of SAF and aircraft emissions. This can be done either stand alone or in collaboration with knowledge institutions and other SAF stakeholders.
This airport action includes reporting on environmental performance of aircraft in the form of a dashboard. It is also possible to report on the entire airline fleet. In this way, passengers can easily compare the environmental performance of different aircraft or airlines. This can be a stimulus for airlines to improve their environmental performance, potentially by purchasing SAF.
• Provides passengers with access to clear and accurate data to take more informed decision.
• Environmental performance is not the passengers’ priority hence the impact of this action is limited.
• Difficulty in reaching people with little knowledge and interest on the topic.
• Risk of airlines opposition regarding the sharing and publication of data.
• Requires emission data from aircraft.
This airport action includes reporting research results. This includes promoting publicly available reports from other organisations and/or conducting own research and publishing the results. Relevant topics to include are Book & Claim, local supply chain opportunities and SAF feedstock availability, among others.
• Shows the airport is aiming to lead across the value chain.
• Contributes to the collaboration between SAF stakeholders.
• Risk of mainly reaching companies within the industry, since passengers are unlikely to read full research reports.
SAF deployment is a multistakeholder task along the SAF value chain. The airport can take an active role in engaging with these stakeholders by a set of different actions outlined in the following.
This involves supporting policies or decisions by government officials that increase the development and uptake of SAF.
Airports can support aviation sector groups to advocate for policies for SAF uptake, subsidies and mandates.
• By aligning with the rest of the aviation sector, a level playing field can be created across airports.
• Engagement with specialized sector groups increases access to policymakers.
• Brings sustainable aviation higher on the agenda of politicians.
• Depending on the context, sector impact on policy development may be limited.
Working with government policy and incentives to develop financial support for SAF incentives provided to airlines. This can be done in close collaboration with airlines or other stakeholders.
• Can enable the deployment of resources for the airport and other involved stakeholders.
• Brings sustainable aviation higher on the agenda of politicians.
• Undefined outcome for the airport.
• Requires engagement with many different stakeholders and understanding of policy development.
There are many initiatives around the world that aim to stimulate the development of SAF, from a local to the global level. These initiatives are based on a collaboration between multiple parties in which airports can get involved.
A working group is a group appointed to study and take action on SAF. The working group consists of local stakeholders supporting SAF development such as fuel suppliers, airlines, into plane companies, government groups, etc. The working group can align their goals and targets and pick up actions together. Setting standard meetings and sharing a clear responsibility can facilitate this action.
Key benefits
• Aligns the local stakeholders to ensure SAF can be refuelled at the airport.
• Ensures the airport stakeholders are informed, aligned and committed.
Key concerns
• Requires collaboration from local stakeholders.
• Stakeholders need to be willing to contribute to SAF projects and resources.
This action involves becoming part of worldwide or regional initiatives that aim to stimulate the development of SAF, such as SABA, Fly Green Fund, Board now, RSB or WEF Clean Skies. Depending on the local context, partnerships available on national and EU levels can also be explored.
• Allows airport to connect with similarly active stakeholders.
• Collaboration is often more effective than individual action.
• In specific situations, alliances can provide access to cheaper SAF through shared investment and purchases.
• Impact depends on commitment from parties within the initiative.
• Due diligence must be done on the different initiatives, for example with regard to their environmental integrity and efficiency of resource use.
Alignment with other important stakeholders such as fuel suppliers (supply) and airlines (demand) can be achieved by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This allows stakeholders to publicly announce their shared plans. Partners can also be universities, research institutes, or corporates.
• Supports stakeholders alignment on SAF.
• Creates public awareness of steps being taken to support SAF.
• Gives both internal and external stakeholders a SAF usage vision towards which they can work.
• No legally binding agreement.
• If not sufficiently concrete, might be perceived as too uncommitting.
‘Progress begins with yourself’. Within the organization, airports can undertake multiple actions to support and stimulate the uptake of SAF.
Connecting and aligning with airport stakeholders is critical to support the uptake of SAF at the airport. Not only management but also technical staff must be aware of the implications that SAF brings to the airport ecosystem.
Start a SAF Local Coordination Team
Hold Internal Workshop on SAF
Purchase SAF for Own Corporate Flights Set SAF Targets in Corporate Plan/ Roadmap
The airport can establish a team of experts within the organisation that focuses on SAF. In order to ensure the entire company is involved and on board, representatives from all relevant airport departments should be included.
• Increases the awareness of SAF within the organisation.
• Leads to faster SAF development at the airport.
• Shows external stakeholders the airport is prepared for sustainable aviation.
• Can attract young talent who value sustainability.
• Requires the commitment of staff time within the organisation.
• Requires expertise on SAF within the organisation, or involvement of external stakeholders.
Interactive session with employees to inform them about SAF. The goal of these sessions is to increase the awareness of SAF within the organisation. This can lead to a more pro-active attitude towards stimulating SAF.
• Increases knowledge on SAF within organisation.
• Stimulates transfer of knowledge or best practices from other departments.
• Engages all employees to engage with SAF and sustainability in general.
• Requires employee time and SAF to be considered as a priority.
For all flights taken by employees of the airport, the CO2 emissions are (partly) compensated by purchasing SAF. This can be done together with SAF purchasing organisations, but the compensation could also be made directly with fuel suppliers.
• Direct way to stimulate the development of SAF.
• Contributes to sustainability strategy of airports and carbon accreditation.
• Sets an example for other corporates.
• Establishes the airport as an organization that is willing to “walk the talk”.
• Increases internal knowledge on SAF.
• Increases corporate travel costs substantially.
• Requires knowledge in SAF purchasing, or collaboration with SAF purchasing groups.
Including SAF targets into the corporate plan and roadmap sets a clear vision. It provides a mandate for the airport to purchase SAF, thereby supporting SAF uptake. Externally, this shows airlines, SAF producers and other stakeholders that there is an increasing demand for SAF.
• Sets strong targets and a commitment to be carried by the entire airport company.
• Contributes to scope 3 emission reductions.
• Requires analysis on feasibility of targets.
• Requires a plan on how to achieve the targets once they are set.
• Alignment between stakeholders is required to reach the targets.
AUTHORS
REVIEWED BY: Brussels Airport, Stargate Advisory Board (Seattle, Swedavia, Airbus, RollsRoyce), Fellow airports (Toulouse, Athens, Budapest)
YEAR OF PUBLICATION
2022
Latest update: March, 2023