In a significant move aimed at driving the aviation industry’s sustainability efforts, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the launch of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Matchmaker platform. This innovative platform is designed to facilitate seamless procurement of SAF between airlines and producers, addressing key challenges in the industry’s transition to greener fuel sources.
The SAF Matchmaker platform, developed by IATA, is set to revolutionize the way airlines and SAF suppliers connect and negotiate deals. By matching requests for SAF supply with offers, the platform aims to create a more accessible, transparent, and efficient market for sustainable aviation fuels.
According to IATA’s chief economist and senior vice-president for sustainability, Marie Owens Thomsen, “To reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we need an accessible, transparent, liquid, and efficient SAF market. The SAF Matchmaker is another example of the work that IATA is putting in place to create a fully functioning market for SAF. The SAF Matchmaker platform will accelerate the uptake of SAF by reducing the costs and complexity that airlines face when searching for SAF suppliers.”
The platform is initially available to airlines and SAF suppliers, with plans to expand access to other SAF buyers, such as non-aviation corporations, in the future. This innovative matching platform is hosted on the Aviation Energy Hub, a centralized digital space designed to provide the aviation industry with practical tools to support energy management.
The SAF Matchmaker addresses three critical issues that have hindered the widespread adoption of sustainable aviation fuels:
Efficiency: The availability of a central platform will simplify SAF procurement, making it easier and faster for all parties to connect without additional fees. This will facilitate further development of the voluntary market for SAF purchasing.
Connectivity: SAF producers and suppliers can post available or planned SAF volumes, while airlines can register their interest in purchasing shown or desired SAF volumes. Once connections are made, subsequent trades will take place outside the platform.
Visibility: The platform provides comprehensive information about the available SAF, including volumes, feedstock used, location and technology of production, emissions reductions, and compliance with the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) or the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive (EU RED).
By addressing these key points of concern, the SAF Matchmaker platform aims to accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels, a crucial step in the industry’s journey towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The launch of the SAF Matchmaker platform marks a significant milestone in IATA’s ongoing efforts to drive the aviation industry’s sustainability agenda and pave the way for a more environmentally responsible future of air travel.
