Singapore Takes Flight: Sustainable Fuel Targets for Outbound Journeys by 2026
Following new rules requiring the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which were revealed by the country’s transport ministry, all flights leaving from Singapore would cost extra starting in 2026.
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat announced on the eve of the Singapore Airshow that starting in 2026, a minimum of 1% of the aviation fuel used in flights outbound from Changi Airport and Seletar Airport must be SAF. Depending on fuel availability, there are plans to increase this percentage to 3-5% by the end of the decade.
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Higher airfares will be anticipated to be imposed on travelers. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), passengers traveling to Bangkok, Tokyo, and London may be required to pay an additional S$3 (US$2.23), S$6 (US$4.46), and S$16 (US$11.88), respectively. These prices will be relatively higher for passengers with premium-class preferences.
What is sustainable aviation fuel?
The aviation industry currently contributes 2% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and 12% of global CO2 emissions from transportation. One important contributor to lowering aviation sector emissions is sustainable alternative fuel (SAF), which is produced from a variety of feedstocks rather than the polluting sources of petrol, coal, or oil used to produce traditional jet fuel.
Compared to conventional fossil fuels, the fuel has the potential to lower up to 80% of lifecycle emissions, or the emissions produced during the entire production of SAF. Currently, it accounts for about 0.2% of the world’s jet fuel use. By extracting SAF from waste, one can lessen the quantity of waste that is left to decay in landfills and also offset the increased carbon dioxide emissions that arise from the decomposition process.
By lowering dependency on fossil fuels, the use of SAF will also stabilize the price of aviation fuel. SAF is obtained from a variety of sources, unlike fossil fuels, which are restricted by their geographical location and supply.
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The price of SAF, which is now 2.5 times more expensive than conventional fuel, is predicted to stabilize as more providers of SAF feedstock enter the market, providing airlines with a more sustainable fuel source that is less susceptible to price swings.
Worldwide Progress
In 2018, the first flight to use SAF solely took off. Since then, adoption has lagged behind the overall fuel consumption of the industry.
The restricted availability and limited supply of sustainable fuels are two major factors contributing to the delayed adoption. Due to restricted facilities and feedstock, SAF is only generated in tiny numbers, which means that its production costs per unit are higher than those of standard fuels. One major obstacle to SAF being used by airlines more widely is its generally higher cost.
These days, only a select few international airports—Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, and Los Angeles—can offer a steady supply of SAF. Furthermore, a study conducted in 2023 revealed that just 12 of the 32 busiest and most popular airports worldwide have evidence of SAF in their sustainability plans; these 12 airports are distributed across six continents: Europe, North America, Asia, Australasia, and Africa.
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However, a study conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) found that a market for SAF might exist even if just 1% of the world’s fuel is made of SAF, or if 10% of all aircraft use fuel that is 90% conventional fuel and 10% SAF.
Conclusion: Way Forward
The construction of infrastructure and policies that facilitate its adoption—such as providing enough feedstock for fuel production and funding procedures to scale up SAF production—are necessary to accelerate the use of SAF in aircraft worldwide.
Just as crucial are the investments in the infrastructure required to increase accessibility.
To level the playing field for SAF among EU nations, the European Union (EU) proposed the ReFuel EU rule in July 2021. EU airports must supply the infrastructure needed for the supply and blending of SAF as part of the legislation.
