Geneva Airport organised the 1st Forum on Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Geneva on Thursday 5 June.
More than a hundred participants attended the event. Industry players shared their experiences of European legislation requiring a minimum amount of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to be incorporated into kerosene, in anticipation of a similar requirement coming into force in Switzerland in 2026. ‘I hope this forum will contribute to increasing the large-scale production of sustainable aviation fuels and help Geneva Airport solve the equation of how to deliver SAF to operators at the airport,’ said Gilles Rufenacht, CEO of Geneva Airport, in his opening remarks.
The
‘Refuel EU Aviation’ legislation stipulates that, from 1 January 2025, all flights departing from an airport in the European Union must incorporate a minimum proportion of SAF (2% in 2025, 6% in 2030 and 70% by 2050). Sustainable aviation fuels reduce the carbon footprint by 80% compared to fossil fuels. This lever aims to decarbonise the aviation sector and is part of the EU's framework for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
What about Switzerland?
Switzerland is also aiming for carbon neutrality in aviation by 2050. To achieve this goal, the
Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) is currently preparing, among other things, to adopt the European Union's REFUEL Directive, which is scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2026. ‘In Switzerland, a requirement to incorporate a minimum amount of SAF into kerosene is planned from 2026. Our legislative framework will therefore be harmonised with European rules,’ assured Boris Stolz of the FOCA. He also announced the creation of a CHF 400 million aid fund, available from May 2025 until 2030, to support the industry in this transition.
Harmonisation between legislation is a crucial point that was raised by
the airlines present at the forum. ‘One of our flagship routes is Geneva-London. SAF requirements already differ between the EU and the UK. If Switzerland proposes something different, it will be very difficult for airlines to manage,’ explained Jean-Marc Thévenaz of easyJet Switzerland.
The need for flexibility in the system and a focus on the price of sustainable aviation fuels were also highlighted. ‘Today, SAF costs two to six times more than kerosene, which is a challenge for airlines,’ noted Jessica de Lange of SWISS International Air Lines.
While affirming that they are ‘ready to implement the SAF mandate in their industry,’
fuel suppliers also emphasised their need for clear legislation that is compatible with the rest of Europe. They also insisted on the need for clarity in the allocation of environmental benefits because ‘our production chain involves a large number of players.’
Innovation and SAF
Industrial-scale production of SAF is now a major challenge for the sector. According to
an estimate by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 1 million tonnes of SAF were produced in 2024. The industry will probably need almost 500 million tonnes by 2050.
To meet this growing demand, many companies are working on innovative technologies. At the Forum, the French joint venture ‘
H4 Marseille Fos’, formed from the merger of H2V Industrie and H2gen, presented its project. Using methanol-to-jet technology, it hopes to produce 75,000 tonnes of e-SAF by 2030. It particularly highlighted the advantage of the existing pipeline between Marseille and Geneva for delivering e-SAF without using CO2-emitting transport such as trucks or ships. The Swiss company
Metafuels, in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute, has developed a new concept: Aerobrew, a technology that converts green methanol into SAF. It also aims to start production in 2030.
Is the kerosene distribution chain at Geneva Airport ready to transport SAF in the coming years? The various stakeholders responded in the affirmative, assuring that ‘several types of fuel are currently transported via the pipeline that leads to the airport without any contamination between them. The distribution of SAF will be part of the same ecosystem.’
This
first Forum on Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Geneva gave rise to fruitful discussions between the speakers. While it did not remove all obstacles, it brought together stakeholders in the sector and the FOCA to develop the necessary future collaborations. They will have the opportunity to exchange views again next year at the second forum scheduled for May 2026.