The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) aimed at significantly boosting the supply of next-generation sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This includes innovative power-to-liquids fuels and those derived from advanced biobased feedstocks. This unprecedented aggregated procurement effort is designed to provide a crucial impetus for the long-term, scalable production of SAF, reports Ethanol Producer Magazine.
By specifically targeting next-generation fuels in this RFP, SABA intends to direct investment towards SAF options that face fewer limitations in feedstock availability compared to currently commercialized SAF. This strategic focus aims to enable a more effective and sustainable long-term decarbonization of the aviation sector.
SABA’s membership comprises over 35 companies spanning diverse industries such as finance, technology, media and entertainment, and business consulting. These organizations are committed to reducing their aviation emissions through investments in sustainable aviation fuel. Through this RFP, SABA will facilitate 5 to 10-year forward purchasing commitments on behalf of its members, at volumes sufficient to support a final investment decision (FID) for a new, next-generation SAF production facility.
Kim Carnahan, CEO of the Center for Green Market Activation and head of the SABA Secretariat, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “The SAF market is growing rapidly, but the technologies we need to fully decarbonize the aviation sector are still in their infancy,” she stated. “Investment needs to happen now if we want these technologies to scale post-2030 and keep the aviation sector on track to meet its long-term net zero goals.”
SAF is recognized as the most promising near-term solution for decarbonizing aviation, as it can be seamlessly integrated into existing aircraft fleets. Despite recent significant growth, SAF currently accounts for less than 1% of total aviation fuel usage. The market is predominantly supplied by SAF made from traditional feedstocks like waste oils, which face scalability challenges beyond 2030. SAF with the greatest potential for scalability, utilizing feedstocks such as renewable hydrogen, agricultural and forestry residues, and municipal solid waste, represents only a small fraction of the SAF currently available. Without focused investment today, these crucial fuels may not be available in the quantities required to meet global decarbonization objectives.
SABA is actively collaborating with its corporate partners to generate the necessary demand signal, providing advanced SAF producers with the confidence to scale up their production. Utilizing a “book and claim” model, corporate customers will purchase sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc). This mechanism allows them to invest in SAF and claim the associated environmental benefits, even if the physical fuel does not directly power the planes they use. This investment enables travelers to report greenhouse gas emission reductions in their climate disclosures, while the physical SAF is supplied to an aircraft operator.
Bryan Fisher, Managing Director at RMI, a co-founder of SABA, highlighted the importance of the “book and claim” model. “Book and claim is the bridge between the aviation industry’s sustainable fuel ambitions and scalable real-world production — and SABA is helping build it,” he said. “By mobilizing corporate demand and catalyzing investment in cutting-edge fuel production, we can fast-track innovation, expand high-integrity supply, and deliver the climate results the aviation sector urgently needs.”
Since its inception in 2021, SABA has facilitated approximately $200 million in total SAF investment. This includes a 2021 proof-of-concept pilot procurement for a short-term offtake period, followed by a groundbreaking multi-year procurement in 2023-2024 involving 27 participants and supporting roughly 50 million gallons of SAF. Through the RFP announced today, SABA is targeting longer-term offtake agreements to help advanced SAF production plants reach a final investment decision (FID) by 2026 and become operational by 2030.
Elizabeth Sturcken, Vice President at Environmental Defense Fund, another co-founder of SABA, emphasized the collaborative opportunity presented by this RFP. “This RFP is an opportunity for corporate leaders, forward-looking airlines, and next-generation fuel producers to work together toward a truly net-zero aviation sector,” she stated. “We must be strategic in how we grow the SAF market with environmental integrity so that we can decarbonize the aviation sector without placing new demands on limited feedstocks or land resources that may create new environmental problems.”
By participating in this next-generation procurement, SABA members will be able to achieve their emission reduction targets for air travel and air freight through advanced purchases of SAFc linked to next-generation SAF that meets SABA’s stringent sustainability criteria.
SAF suppliers interested in responding to the RFP are encouraged to download the RFP and supporting documentation for further details.
While this specific RFP focuses on next-generation SAF, SABA continues to support its members in purchasing high-integrity, commercially available SAF. Information regarding SABA’s 2025 procurements, including near-term procurement opportunities through SAFc Connect, can be found on SABA’s website, and interested parties can register for SABA’s upcoming prospective member webinar.
