New SAF platform expects US$30mn of 'immediate demand'

A new platform to connect buyers and sellers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) certificates could drive US$30 million of transactions based on “immediate demand”.

The platform, launched this week by the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) and called 'SAFc Connect', aims to help companies meet their aviation decarbonisation goals by connecting them with providers of SAF certificates, a market mechanism similar to renewable energy certificates for aviation fuel.

SAF certificates decouple the environmental benefits of sustainable aviation fuel from its physical volume (one metric tonne per unit), allowing companies to claim emissions reductions even if they do not have direct access to SAF.

The platform aims to support the development of the SAF market by allowing certificate providers to tap into near-term corporate demand through a more flexible commercial cycle. Authorised buyers can access SABA-vetted offers all in one place, with key details such as carbon intensity performance, sustainability certification standard, pricing, feedstock, fuel type, and term length. After reviewing these details, they can get in touch with providers to complete offtake discussions.

According to SABA surveys, the alliance’s member companies (which include Bank of America, Boeing, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase, McKinsey & Company, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix and Salesforce) have an “immediate demand for approximately US$30 million worth of SAF certificates”.

Six SAF certificate providers committed

SABA notes that six SAFc providers (Alaska Air, Future Energy Global, International Airlines Group, JetBlue, Targray, and Valero) have committed to participating in the SAFc Connect platform, and expects that number to increase in the coming months.

"To meet the decarbonisation goals for the aviation sector, we need to encourage both near and long-term investment into SAF," said Kim Carnahan, CEO of the Center for Green Market Activation and Head of SABA Secretariat. "With SAFc Connect, participants have a continuous SAF procurement opportunity that progresses climate goals now, while strengthening the foundations of the SAF market for future growth."

SABA’s work to support sustainable aviation fuel

The alliance was launched in 2021 to ramp up the SAF demand signal by aggregating corporate demand. In April 2024, SABA members collectively purchased US$200 million in SAF certificates, following a proof-of-concept pilot procurement exercise.

This month, SABA also launched a third request for proposals for next-generation fuels, hoping to facilitate 5 to 10-year forward purchasing commitments on behalf of its members and support the final investment decision for a new SAF production facility.