Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is now firmly established as the global pathway to decarbonize aviation, driven by EU mandates, international airline targets, and broad consensus that SAF — not electricity or hydrogen — is the viable long-term solution:

• SAF is the primary path to decarbonizing aviation in the EU. Across Europe, sustainable aviation fuel is now widely accepted as the main route to cut aviation emissions – not electrification or hydrogen-powered aircraft.
• Airlines worldwide are setting SAF targets. Outside the EU, many major airlines have announced clear SAF blend targets (in fact, 40+ airlines globally are aiming for 5–10% SAF in their fuel mix by 2030). This global momentum underscores that SAF adoption is a priority well beyond Europe.
• The EU has locked in long-term SAF demand with binding mandates. The European Commission has cemented market demand by imposing legally binding SAF blending mandates for jet fuel, enforced by significant fines for non-compliance. These “ReFuelEU” regulations give producers and investors certainty that airlines must use SAF – or face steep penalties.

While SAF demand in Europe is accelerating, local production remains limited due to scarce non-food feedstocks, high import dependency, and the long-term unsustainability of current technologies like HEFA — making innovation in next-gen fuels like 2G Alcohol-to-Jet both urgent and uncertain.

1. Feedstock constraints: Future growth in EU SAF production depends on non-food feedstocks – i.e. second-generation biofuels (2G biodiesel from waste oils, 2G ethanol from agricultural residues) and e-SAF (synthetic fuels). The EU completely prohibits food crops for SAF, so only waste-derived or advanced sources can be used.
2. Heavy import reliance: Europe is already an import-reliant SAF market due to limited local output. For example, a large share of Europe’s current SAF feedstock (used cooking oil, animal fats, etc.) is imported from abroad. Domestic production is playing catch-up.
3. Short-term solution, long-term limit: In the near term (to 2030), most EU SAF supply will come from the HEFA pathway (hydro processed esters and fatty acids – essentially bio-jet fuel from waste oils/fats). However, HEFA feedstock availability is very limited – and much of it is imported – so this pathway cannot scale indefinitely. Beyond 2030, HEFA’s growth potential is minimal, forcing a transition to new technologies.
4. Next-gen technology on the horizon: The next big step for SAF is expected to be Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) fuel made from 2G ethanol. This technology can tap abundant cellulosic ethanol supplies, but it remains to be seen if producing ATJ SAF in the EU will be economically competitive at scale. Today, ATJ fuel still costs more to produce than HEFA-based SAF, and significant innovation and investment will be needed to make it viable.

Together, the global momentum behind SAF and the production challenges within Europe underscore both the urgency and the opportunity: while demand is now undeniable, scaling up sustainable and locally produced SAF will require innovation, investment, and smart resource management — especially when it comes to water.

More on the sustainable Aviation Fuel Summit 2025

Producing SAF, particularly from second-generation feedstocks (like 2G ethanol or used cooking oil), requires large volumes of water - not only for the core conversion processes, but also for cooling, fermentation, distillation, and cleaning. While exact water use varies by technology and feedstock, industry benchmarks estimate that producing 1 liter of SAF can require 5 to 15 liters of water, depending on process efficiency and water reuse systems.

At Waterleau, we bring decades of experience designing and operating wastewater treatment and water reuse systems for resource-intensive industries. For SAF projects, we offer:

• Integrated wastewater treatment tailored to high-organic-load effluents from 2G biofuel production

• Anaerobic digestion for biogas recovery, supporting plant energy needs

• Advanced water polishing to ensure clean discharge or even reuse as process water

• Circular water solutions that minimize freshwater intake, lower operational costs, and reduce Total Cost of Ownership

By recovering valuable energy and maximizing water reuse, Waterleau helps SAF producers meet both environmental targets and operational performance KPIs — making SAF production more resilient, efficient, and truly sustainable.

Because Every Drop Counts.