SANTIAGO: Chile aims to start producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in a large plant by 2030 and use the fuel made from oils, fats, and biological and municipal waste for half of its aviation needs by 2050, a government report says.

The “2050 SAF Roadmap” report released on Wednesday was presented by Fernanda Cabanas, programme coordinator for Chile’s public-private “Clean Flight” project that aims to decarbonise the country’s airline industry, at an aviation conference in Santiago.

Chile expects air traffic to double by 2040 and SAF is essential in helping meet its decarbonisation goals, the report said.

SAF can be mixed with conventional jet fuel to reduce emissions by up to 80% without engine modifications.

“More than 50% of carbon emissions reductions are going to be done through SAF,” Cabanas said in an interview on the sidelines of the conference. “It plays a predominant role in our net-zero goals.”

No estimates are available on how much the factory would produce in 2030, Cabanas said.

Airlines are rushing to purchase SAF to meet sustainability goals but supply is scarce and production methods are costly, so the fuel costs three to five times more than traditional jet fuel.

Cabanas noted strong competition in the region for SAF sources, and said the programme had met with local forestry, agriculture and hydrogen industry representatives to determine how much raw material they could supply.

 - Reuters