The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the creation of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Registry, aimed at accelerating the adoption of SAF by providing authoritative accounting and reporting on emissions reductions.

The registry, which is set to launch in the first quarter of 2025, has already garnered support from seventeen airlines, one airline group, six national authorities, three Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and one fuel producer.

IATA sees this as a significant step towards aviation’s ambitious decarbonisation goals through greater visibility of the progress that’s made. By 2050, SAF is expected to contribute up to 65 percent of the total carbon mitigation required to reach net-zero emissions in air transportation.

“SAF is key to aviation’s decarbonisation. Airlines want more SAF and stand ready to use every drop,” Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, stated.

“The SAF registry will help meet the critical needs of all stakeholders as part of the global effort to ramp-up SAF production.

“Governments need a trusted system to track the quality and quantities of SAF used. SAF producers need to accurately account for what has been delivered and effectively decarbonised.

“Corporate customers must be able to transparently account for their Scope 3 emissions. Airlines must be certain that they can claim the environmental benefits of the SAF they purchased. The Registry will meet all these needs.”

Capabilities and benefits

The SAF registry is designed with several key features to meet the diverse needs of its stakeholders:

Wide Geographic Scope: The registry will enable airlines to purchase SAF from any location. Each batch’s certified environmental attributes can be tracked and assigned to the purchasing airline, ensuring accurate emissions reduction reporting in line with international standards.

Broad application and neutrality: The registry will operate neutrally concerning regulations and SAF types, making it adaptable to various jurisdictions and frameworks. IATA is collaborating with certification organisations and fuel producers to standardise data.

Regulatory compliance: The registry will assist airlines in meeting regulations such as the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, ensuring transparency and compliance with emissions reduction mandates.

Governance: Independent governance will ensure the system’s impartiality and robustness, safeguarding against double counting and double claiming while maintaining the integrity of all data.

Cost efficiency: Participation in the registry will be on a cost-recovery basis to avoid adding unnecessary financial burdens to the SAF ramp-up.