The Promise of SAF

Air freight is one of the fastest growing logistics segments, and its energy transition now leans heavily on sustainable aviation fuel, often called SAF. When used without blending, SAF can shrink lifecycle greenhouse gas output by roughly eighty percent compared with conventional jet fuel. Crucially, it already fits within existing engines, pipelines and refuelling trucks, so no fresh infrastructure is required. The International Air Transport Association projects that SAF could deliver almost two thirds of the reduction the sector must achieve on the pathway to net zero.

How Book and Claim Unlocks Scale

Today fewer than one in two hundred airports regularly store SAF. Rather than waiting for every location to catch up, the book and claim model separates physical fuel delivery from environmental benefit allocation. An authenticated record is created when SAF is pumped into any aircraft. Airlines or shippers elsewhere can then buy the associated emissions reduction certificate and retire it against their own flights, receiving auditable proof through a digital registry. The mechanism therefore mobilises global demand immediately, which encourages producers to build larger plants and ultimately drives prices lower.

Blockchain Adds Confidence

Platforms like Avelia record each certificate on blockchain ledgers that cannot be altered. That transparency helps accountants, regulators and customers verify that a single litre of SAF produces just one tradable credit. As a result even companies that rarely move cargo by air can now participate confidently in the transition by purchasing fractional credits.

Non-obvious insight

Because book and claim transactions reveal real time willingness to pay, the aggregated data set is becoming an unexpected demand forecasting tool for fuel refiners. Early analytics already show weekend spikes in certificate purchases, hinting at a future where production schedules mirror e commerce activity rather than airport traffic.

Conclusion

Sustainable aviation fuel already works technically. Book and claim, reinforced by blockchain, makes it work commercially too. Collaboration across shippers, airlines and digital platforms can accelerate volume, reduce cost and place cleaner air freight within reach for every customer.

Source – MIT Technology Review

Why Air Cargo Needs a Fresh Approach

After a surge in e commerce, dedicated freighter fleets move a growing share of international goods. Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, cuts life cycle climate impact by as much as eighty percent when used neat, yet availability remains limited and price remains high in many regions.

Separating Molecules from Credits

The book and claim framework resolves this bottleneck by allowing airlines and freight forwarders to purchase the climate benefit even when physical SAF is delivered elsewhere. Every time a refinery loads SAF into the pipeline, a digital certificate equal to the associated emissions reduction is minted. Shippers across the globe can retire those certificates against their own flights, creating immediate demand that justifies higher production volumes.

Non-obvious insight

Because certificates specify both feedstock type and refining pathway, buyers can select attributes that match their own sustainability narratives, for example waste oils from specific communities. This level of storytelling value is driving a premium that partially offsets the current price gap between SAF and conventional jet fuel.

Governance and Transparency

Platforms such as Avelia employ blockchain technology to record issuance and retirement, preventing double counting and supplying auditors with real time data. International bodies are now drafting harmonised rules so that certificates generated in one system can be exchanged seamlessly with another, mirroring the evolution of renewable electricity guarantees across Europe two decades ago.

Next Steps for the Industry

Early adopters including logistics giants and technology firms are publishing scope three progress achieved through book and claim. Their participation indicates growing confidence and sends a clear market signal to fuel producers. As volumes scale, economists predict that SAF could achieve price parity with fossil jet fuel before the end of the decade.

Conclusion

Book and claim empowers companies to act today instead of waiting for local SAF supply, turning climate ambition into quantifiable action.

Source – MIT Technology Review

New incentive at a glance

California lawmakers have included a dedicated tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel in the Governor budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. The measure would complement the federal Inflation Reduction Act credit and a national blender incentive expected in 2027. Under the outline, producers earning verified lifecycle carbon reductions will qualify for a per gallon benefit once fuel is uplifted within the state.

Why this matters for producers

For developers considering new projects in the western United States, a state level layer of support materially improves project economics. Many facilities already target California airports because of existing low carbon fuel standard values. Adding an income tax credit on top of that transaction credit rewards both capital investment and ongoing fuel delivery. One often overlooked advantage is that the credit could shorten payback periods enough to help first movers secure lower interest financing, offsetting elevated construction costs along the Pacific coast.

Broader market impact

The proposal signals confidence in the maturity of SAF pathways such as alcohol to jet and power to liquid. By framing eligibility around carbon intensity rather than feedstock, lawmakers also encourage innovation in woody biomass and renewable electricity based electrofuels, both abundant in California. Airports stand to gain reputational value as customers can book verifiable climate friendly flights without routing changes. If the credit passes intact, analysts estimate a potential annual demand increase of nearly one hundred million gallons by early next decade, representing roughly ten percent of projected United States consumption.

A non-obvious insight

Because the credit is tied to fuel delivered, not manufactured, out of state plants may redirect volumes toward California hubs. This competitive pull could motivate neighboring jurisdictions to introduce matching policies, accelerating regional adoption beyond state borders.

Conclusion

The proposed California tax credit reinforces momentum toward cleaner aviation by stacking incentives, attracting investment, and encouraging policy competition that benefits travelers and the climate.

Source – Biomass Magazine

Funding accelerates Project Beacon

Aether Fuels closed a fifteen million dollar convertible note to fast track engineering work on Project Beacon, its first commercial sustainable aviation fuel facility planned for Singapore. The plant will process industrial waste gas and biomethane into approximately two thousand tonnes of CORSIA certified fuel each year, using the company proprietary Aurora technology.

How Aurora works

Aurora produces synthesis gas from diverse carbon rich streams then applies Fischer Tropsch chemistry and proprietary upgrading steps to yield aviation grade molecules. Unlike many platforms that depend on a single feedstock, Aurora can flip between captured carbon dioxide, biogas or municipal waste derived gas without major hardware changes. This flexibility means the plant can maintain high utilisation even as individual waste sources fluctuate.

Strategic significance

Locating the facility in Singapore places it near both abundant industrial gas supplies and busy regional airports, reducing logistic costs for feedstock and finished fuel alike. Furthermore, Singapore aviation hub status could allow airlines early access to SAF for flights connecting the Asia Pacific region to Europe where fuel mandates are growing.

A non-obvious insight

At fifty barrels per day, the project may appear modest; however, it offers an important proof of economics for variable feedstock operations. If the plant meets its seventy percent emissions reduction target, regulators might credit additional carbon savings related to avoided waste flaring, effectively improving revenue per barrel without changing hardware.

Leadership and partnerships

New investors such as Aster Ventures and EDBI joined existing backers including AP Ventures and Chevron Technology Ventures, bringing total funding above sixty million dollars. Recent executive appointments ensure global project management expertise and strong research capacity when a dedicated Singapore laboratory opens in 2026.

Conclusion

With fresh capital and versatile technology, Aether Fuels is positioned to deliver reliable SAF supply to a key aviation crossroads while demonstrating a pathway for circular carbon solutions worldwide.

Source – ESG Today

Cutting edge e SAF from Topsoe partnership

Topsoe has begun collaborating with Carbon Neutral Fuels to pilot the use of high efficiency solid oxide electrolysis cells for synthetic aviation fuel. Generating green hydrogen at high temperature allows energy savings that can reduce production cost by up to fifteen percent according to early lab data. The project will supply power from renewable offshore wind and aims to deliver fully drop in e SAF within three years, reinforcing investor belief that electricity based fuels can complement bio based pathways.

Marine shipping gains biofuel boost

Global forwarder DHL and carrier CMA CGM have committed to co using almost nine thousand metric tons of second generation Used Cooking Oil Methyl Ester across key ocean routes. The fuel cuts lifecycle emissions by roughly eighty percent versus conventional bunkers while keeping existing engines unchanged. Blending at scale provides a straightforward method for cargo owners to meet science based targets without heavy vessel modifications.

Corporate carbon removal agreements expand

Technology firm Microsoft has signed a twelve year offtake with C2X for three point six million tons of carbon removal through bio methanol production in Louisiana. The contract is one of the largest engineered removal deals to date and signals a maturing market where long term revenue certainty can unlock project finance for novel facilities.

Biochemistry and biogas milestones

UPM has produced its first commercial batch of industrial sugars from wood at its Leuna biorefinery, opening new sustainable feedstock streams for chemicals. Meanwhile EnviTec Biogas has secured three contracts in Germany for its EnviThan upgrading technology, demonstrating steady demand for renewable gas even in traditionally natural gas rich regions.

A non-obvious insight

Linking cross sector demand signals from aviation shipping and tech companies compresses the learning curve for suppliers. Shared offtake structures make it easier for financiers to assess risk, which accelerates capital deployment across seemingly separate commodity markets.

Conclusion

From synthetic jet fuel to marine biofuel and large scale carbon removal, early 2026 stories reveal a coordinated push toward practical low carbon solutions. The common thread is long term collaboration that converts climate ambition into bankable projects.

Source – BBI International

Output Set to Double

New figures from the International Air Transport Association indicate that global sustainable aviation fuel production could reach 1.9 million tonnes in 2025, almost twice the 2024 volume. A further rise to 2.4 million tonnes is projected for 2026. Although these numbers represent less than one per cent of total jet consumption, the accelerated growth confirms that industrial scale up is firmly underway.

Why Early Scale Matters

Every additional litre of SAF entering pipelines delivers an immediate cut in net greenhouse gas emissions because the fuel is derived from waste oils, agricultural residues and other renewable feedstocks. Even modest uptake lets airlines practice blending logistics, shortening the path to scale.

Building Confidence for Investors

Incremental but predictable growth signals to capital markets that demand is real and long term. Project finance specialists view consistent offtake agreements as a stronger credit indicator than isolated policy mandates. As a result, lenders have begun packaging sustainability linked loans

specifically for first generation SAF refineries, lowering borrowing costs and accelerating construction schedules.

Non-Obvious Insight: Supply Hubs as Innovation Campuses

Airports that receive early SAF deliveries tend to attract adjacent research activity. Engineers studying storage behaviour, emissions sampling and new feedstocks prefer working beside live infrastructure rather than laboratory simulations. This clustering effect transforms supply hubs into living campuses where universities, startups and airlines co develop optimisation tools that shorten learning curves for the entire industry.

Policy Opportunities

Governments can amplify momentum by coupling clear long term targets with investment incentives such as loan guarantees or feedstock tax credits. Support mechanisms that reward verified emission reductions, rather than imposing complex volume mandates, give producers the flexibility to innovate while still driving measurable progress.

Conclusion

With production set to double and innovation ecosystems forming around early hubs, sustainable aviation fuel is emerging as a practical route toward lower carbon flights, offering airlines, investors and communities fresh opportunities to participate in aviation decarbonisation.

Source – cyprus-mail.com

Lifecycle Optimisation Becomes Mainstream

Ship owners are increasingly assessing total cost of ownership rather than singular capital expenditure. Well maintained vessels receiving incremental digital and mechanical upgrades are outperforming younger tonnage, proving that longevity and efficiency are complementary. Contracting for lifecycle services gives operators predictable budgets and frees crews to focus on cargo performance.

Insight: Maintenance Data as an Asset

High resolution engine and voyage records, once discarded after compulsory reporting, are now being monetised. Financiers consider documented reliability histories when valuing older ships, meaning that a disciplined maintenance log can raise resale price or lower lending rates.

Flexible Decarbonisation Strategies

There is growing acceptance that no single fuel will dominate the transition. Dual fuel engines, hybrid battery systems and onboard space reservations allow ships to pivot between diesel, methanol or bio LNG as regional supply chains mature. Early planning avoids future stranded assets and preserves design freedom for additional technologies such as carbon capture or rotor sails.

Digitalisation and Big Data Power Efficiency

Connected sensors feed vast data lakes where predictive algorithms recommend optimal routes, trim and power settings in real time. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings already reports double digit fuel savings through these analytics. The next wave involves shipboard processing that provides crews with immediate action lists even when bandwidth is limited.

Navigating Variable Regulations

Regional carbon pricing and efficiency indices are evolving quickly. Operators are responding by investing in compliance dashboards that link voyage data directly with regulatory reporting portals, reducing administrative burden. Toughening rules are also accelerating demand for flexible engines able to meet future fuel standards without costly retrofits.

Conclusion

Lifecycle thinking, adaptable fuel roadmaps, data centric operations and proactive compliance collectively position shipping for a productive and sustainable 2026. By treating change as an opportunity rather than a constraint, the maritime community is charting a clear course toward decarbonised profitable trade.

Source – Wartsila

Welcoming Julien Dufour as Senior Partner and Board Member at VURDHAAN

VURDHAAN is pleased to welcome Julien Dufour as Senior Partner and Board Member. His appointment strengthens our capacity to support clients navigating the real-world complexity of transport decarbonisation, sustainability strategy, regulatory compliance, and global policy change.

Julien brings 25 years of international experience across environmental auditing, sustainability, and corporate strategy, with work spanning more than 70 countries.

A proven builder in aviation and maritime sustainability

Julien is best known as the founder of Normec Verifavia, an environmental auditing organisation specialising in greenhouse gas emissions verification for the aviation and maritime sectors. Under his leadership, the organisation scaled into a truly global platform, serving clients in over 120 countries.

Key highlights from his track record include:

• Building an independent emissions verification platform serving more than 500 airlines worldwide
• Expanding maritime verification services to 1,000+ ships globally
• Driving continuous improvements in verification tools, methodologies and sustainability assessment frameworks
• Speaking at 50+ international conferences on aviation and maritime sustainability

In 2022, Julien transitioned from executive management while continuing to serve as a board member.

Convening the conversation in aviation sustainability

Julien is also a co-founder of Aviation Carbon, a global conference series on sustainability in aviation, hosted annually at London Heathrow since 2012.

Over time, Aviation Carbon has become a key international forum for dialogue and collaboration. Past events have brought together 500+ participants from 60+ countries, including representatives from 120+ airlines and business jet operators, alongside regulators, policymakers, and carbon market experts.

Broader leadership across humanitarian action and geopolitics

More recently, Julien has dedicated part of his leadership to humanitarian action, geopolitics, and peacebuilding. He is President of Frontlines for Peace, supporting independent field missions and initiatives aimed at saving lives and building peace in conflict-affected regions.

What Julien’s appointment means for VURDHAAN

As Senior Partner and Board Member, Julien will support VURDHAAN in three key areas:

1. Practical, implementation-ready expertise

His background in aviation and maritime GHG verification brings a rigorous, evidence-based approach, ensuring recommendations are measurable, audit-ready, and grounded in operational realities.

2. Strong insight into regulation and carbon markets

Through his role as co-founder of Aviation Carbon, Julien offers first-hand understanding of evolving policy frameworks, compliance requirements, and market dynamics affecting transport decarbonisation.

3. Global perspective and convening power

With experience across more than 70 countries, Julien enhances VURDHAAN’s international reach, partnerships, and thought leadership, while bringing a grounded view of risk and resilience in a changing global environment.

We are delighted to welcome Julien to VURDHAAN, and look forward to the work ahead.

New Regulations Kickstart Cleaner Skies

On 1 January 2026 Thailand will introduce mandatory blending of sustainable aviation fuel in all Jet A1 sold nationwide. The Department of Energy Business has created three clear fuel categories so suppliers and airlines can transition smoothly: classic Jet A1, co processed fuel, and a blend of Jet A1 with neat SAF. Only SAF that follows ASTM D7566 and is produced with hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids technology will qualify. By mirroring global benchmarks Thailand guarantees that every litre uplifted at its airports will satisfy the same specifications used by leading carriers in Europe and North America.

Local Projects Already Underway

Domestic capacity is building fast. Bangchak Corporation is constructing a facility that will transform used cooking oil into one million litres of SAF each day, while PTT Global Chemical is already delivering sixteen thousand litres daily through co processing. Because both projects rely on a widely available waste product, they reduce reliance on imported crude and create new revenue for restaurant chains that previously paid to dispose of oil.

A Non-Obvious Supply Chain Benefit

An often overlooked outcome of mandatory blending is that it encourages airports to modernise fuel storage early. Separate tanks for neat SAF prevent cross contamination and open the door for future biofuels in ground service equipment as well. The same pipeline upgrades that carry blended jet fuel could later distribute renewable diesel to catering trucks and baggage tractors, multiplying the climate gains without additional construction.

Conclusion

Thailand is pairing clear policy signals with immediate investment, positioning itself as a Southeast Asian hub for sustainable flight. As production scales and infrastructure modernises, travellers can expect lower carbon journeys that also support local circular economies.

Source – Travel And Tour World

Clear policy signals now in force

From 1 January 2026 every litre of Jet A1 sold in Thailand must contain at least one percent sustainable aviation fuel. The Department of Energy Business has issued detailed specifications for three categories of jet fuel covering conventional kerosene, co processing streams and blends that meet ASTM D7566 standards. Early volumes will come from HEFA technology that transforms used cooking oil into renewable hydrocarbons recognised by aircraft manufacturers.

Domestic capacity accelerating

Two early movers are leading the charge. Bangchak Corporation is completing a plant able to produce one million litres a day, while PTT Global Chemical is already supplying commercial volumes from a co processing line. Feedstock collection programs linking restaurants, food factories and waste hauliers are rapidly expanding, turning a disposal cost into a new income stream.

Why starting at one percent matters

A modest target offers a powerful benefit. Refineries, pipeline operators and airports gain a low risk opportunity to test logistics, metering and certification systems before larger percentages arrive. Each data point gathered will improve the accuracy of Thailand greenhouse gas inventory, a detail often overlooked when discussing blend mandates.

Alignment with international momentum

The rule echoes measures in Europe and the United States, giving Thai airlines an advantage ahead of upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization milestones. Financial tools under review such as excise relief and green loans are expected to keep ticket prices competitive even as renewable content grows.

Non-obvious insight

Thailand exports significant quantities of culinary oil. The new domestic demand for used oil enables logistics firms to backhaul waste streams instead of returning empty, thereby improving truck utilisation and cutting overall freight emissions.

Conclusion

By embedding sustainable fuel into routine operations Thailand turns ambition into action. The pragmatic one percent launch point paired with expanding capacity positions the country as a Southeast Asian frontrunner on the journey toward low emission flight.

Source – SustaiNation