ZUG, Switzerland - The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Certificate (SAFc) registry was launched to aid significant air travel and transportation consumers in their efforts to directly decarbonize flights. Announced on September 27, the design, development, and testing of the registry were led by nonprofit organizations RMI and the Environmental Defense Fund, working through the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA). This organization includes major airlines, fuel providers, and sustainable aviation buyers like Novo Nordisk, all aiming to mitigate air transport's climate impact.
The SAFc Registry connects corporate consumers, airlines, freight forwarders, and clean fuel providers via a universally accessible platform. This platform is intended to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by ensuring that SAF certificates purchased outside of the platform are delivered in a consistent, transparent, and credible manner. Developed using industry best practices and subjected to public consultation, the registry aims to ensure SAF certificates exchanged fulfill their environmental promises and contribute to emissions reduction goals.
SAF is derived from renewable or waste materials and can potentially reduce lifecycle emissions of flights by more than 80%. However, its availability is limited, and it tends to be more expensive than conventional jet fuel. The Registry addresses this market gap by linking corporate demand for emissions reductions to SAF producers through an auditable ledger for certificates that separates the emissions benefits from the physical fuel supply. This registry is the final piece of market infrastructure—complementing robust standards, book & claim accounting guidelines, and structured RFPs—to foster a robust and de-risked market for SAFc investment.
Major customers have partnered via SABA to procure SAF certificates collectively, with several of these transactions utilizing the SAFc Registry as the delivery mechanism. Future procurement efforts, both within and outside SABA, can employ the SAFc Registry to ensure seamless delivery of SAF certificates and sustainability assurances to buyers. Q8Aviation, an international jet fuel supplier delivering sustainable aviation fuel to the aviation market, recently registered with the registry, stating, "We look forward to leveraging the SAFc registry to expand accessibility and support broader adoption of SAF."
Climate tech company CHOOSE is enhancing the registry with features that streamline SAF transactions across the value chain. Gaute Gamst, Chief Technology Officer at CHOOSE, remarked, "At CHOOSE, we develop and operate software that supports airlines, freight forwarders, clean fuel providers, and corporate buyers in scaling their sustainable aviation fuel programs. These programs contribute significantly to SAF's adoption, recognizing its crucial role in decarbonizing the aviation industry. By leveraging systems like book and claim, the SAFc Registry ensures the secure transfer of certificates—and when coupled with CHOOSE technology, SAF transactions become more automated, streamlined, and accessible. Through this partnership, we can accelerate the use of SAF across the sector."
Web3 technologies are integral to SAFc Registry operations, offering end-users enhanced transparency. Supported by worker nodes anchored on the Energy Web X blockchain on Polkadot, transactions within the SAFc Registry are checked, validated, and digitally recorded in a zero-trust, tamper-proof manner. This continuous audit of registry operations benefits registry users, the public, and auditors alike.
