Encouraging uptake in the initial compliance year
New figures from the Department for Transport indicate that Sustainable Aviation Fuel accounted for 1.63 percent of jet fuel supplied between January and late October. While the statistics remain provisional, they already represent more than one hundred sixty million litres of cleaner fuel in airline tanks. With several suppliers still finalising returns, industry group Sustainable Aviation remains
confident that the full two percent requirement for 2025 will be achieved once verified data are published next year.
Demonstrated capability of waste derived feedstocks
Every litre reported to date originated from used cooking oil, much of it collected in Asia and refined to international standards before shipment to the United Kingdom. The performance confirms that established hydro processed ester and fatty acid pathways can scale quickly and deliver reliable product quality. Upcoming capacity in Teesside and Humberside will diversify feedstocks to include municipal solid waste and cellulosic residues, further strengthening supply resilience.
Policy tools accelerating investment
- The proposed Revenue Certainty Mechanism will guarantee a reference price for producers.
- Consultations on contract design remain open until early April.
- Parliament expects the mechanism to be operational before year end 2026.
- Incremental mandate increases will rise to ten percent by 2030.
A non-obvious insight
Because SAF volumes must be fully validated before they count toward mandate compliance, the apparent delivery shortfall primarily reflects administrative timing rather than production limits. Companies that invest in streamlined chain of custody documentation can capture early sales premiums and reduce working capital exposure, turning paperwork efficiency into a tangible competitive edge.
Conclusion
The inaugural mandate year is already demonstrating market appetite for cleaner aviation energy. Robust progress on both supply volumes and supportive policy signals suggests that the United Kingdom is well positioned to accelerate SAF deployment, drive domestic innovation, and maintain global leadership in sustainable flight.