Airbus is advancing the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by testing a new "Book and Claim" mechanism that aims to increase both supply and demand globally. The initiative provides a flexible and scalable solution to accelerate SAF adoption in the aviation sector.
The first memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by SMBC Aviation Capital, followed by AerCap, Comlux, Luxaviation, Novespace, Rive Private Investment and SAF Aerogroup, showcasing broad industry support for the programme.
The book and claim model allows buyers to "book" a set amount of SAF and "claim" the related emission reductions, even if the fuel is used elsewhere.
Airbus said it will run a pilot programme throughout 2025 to improve SAF accessibility for customers with limited volumes or those far from supply hubs.
As part of the initiative, Airbus will purchase SAF certificates and manage sustainability attributes via the registry of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), a recognized sustainability certification body. These certificates will be resold to aircraft and helicopter operators, creating short-term demand for SAF.
"Supporting the SAF Book and Claim mechanism is an immediate solution contributing to the emergence and scale-up of the global SAF market. For a lot of smaller operators, getting access to SAF can be challenging depending on the amount of SAF needed," said Julien Manhes, Airbus head of sustainable aviation fuel and carbon dioxide removals.
"Through this initiative, Airbus can simplify and derisk the process for operators and SAF suppliers, by financially securing SAF certificates upfront and sharing them when customers need them. This is also a great opportunity to demonstrate Book and Claim is reliable and that its usage should be extended in voluntary and regulatory markets," he added.
Airbus said the pilot programme is expected to generate key insights into the capacity and robustness of this innovative book and claim mechanism. It will also assess market interest in the third-party facilitation of such integrated SAF solutions.
