Frequently asked questions concerning Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

SAF is the generic term for all aviation fuels produced without the use of fossil raw materials like petroleum or natural gas. Various manufacturing processes exist and different source materials can be used as energy carriers. Current SAF generation, which, when compared to conventional jet fuel, generates around 80 percent less CO₂, is primarily produced from biogenic residues such as used cooking oils. SAF is mixed with fossil jet fuel before being transported to the airport.

SAF plays a crucial role in reaching the goal of carbon-neutral aviation by 2050. Austrian Airlines and the Lufthansa Group have been involved in researching SAF for many years, and are driving the introduction of the next generation of more sustainable aviation fuels. Here, particular attention is being paid to the ground breaking Power-to-Liquid (PtL) and Sun-to-Liquid (StL) technologies that use renewably generated electricity or solar thermal heat as energy carriers.

The SAF currently used by the Lufthansa Group is produced using the HEFA process (Hydroprocessed Esters & Fatty Acids) from biogenic residues like used cooking oils. The Lufthansa Group excludes the use of palm oil based raw materials for the production of SAF. The SAF used meets the standards of the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II).

The Lufthansa Group gets SAF from established suppliers in Europe, such as Neste or OMV. SAF is purchased by the Lufthansa Group Fuel Department, mixed with fossil jet fuel by suppliers, and then transported to Lufthansa Group Hubs like Brussels Airport or Frankfurt, among others. According to fuel specifications the maximum mixing ratio allowed of SAF with conventional jet fuel is currently 50%.

When burning SAF and fossil jet fuel identical amounts of CO₂ are produced. But the use of SAF creates a CO₂ cycle: Biogenic residues (e.g. used crude cooking oil) that has previously extracted CO₂ from the atmosphere is used for production. This way, SAF generates around 80 percent fewer CO₂ emissions compared to fossil fuels over the entire life cycle. The production and delivery processes still generate around 20% of the CO₂. To totally neutralise CO₂ emissions of an individual flight a correspondingly higher proportion of SAF has to be added into the flight operation.

Yes, Lufthansa Group passengers can already balance the CO₂ emissions of their individual flight with the use of SAF. This option can be selected directly and paid together when booking the flight ticket.

In addition to this passengers can also choose the “Green Fares”, a tariff that includes the offset of individual flight related emissions by a split of 20% emissions reduction by the use of SAF and 80% emissions offset by the contribution to high-quality climate projects.

We calculate the extra-charge you would need to pay to upgrade from fossil jet fuel to SAF for your flight. An example:

For a flight from Brussels to Copenhagen approx. 94 kg CO₂ per person are emitted, depending on booking class and aircraft type. You can either compensate this amount through supporting climate projects or reduce this by using SAF. When using SAF, you only pay the difference between the regular kerosene price and the SAF price. We will guarantee that the purchased SAF is put into circulation within the next six months.

No, there is no direct SAF fuelling of individual flights. SAF is purchased by the Lufthansa Group Fuel Department, mixed with fossil jet fuel by suppliers, and then transported for use to various airports, such as Frankfurt or for example Vienna Airport and brought into operations within 6 months after purchase.

The global availability of SAF is very low. Currently only around 0.1 percent of fuel needed worldwide is of non-fossil origin. At present, this is not sufficient to utilise in large quantities for flight operations.

The price of SAF is dependent on the technology and how oil prices progress. Currently, the market price for existing SAF made from biogenic residues is three to five times the price of fossil jet fuel. Next-generation SAF is up to ten times more expensive than fossil jet fuel right now. The Lufthansa Group is involved in numerous projects to make more sustainable aviation fuels available as soon as possible in large quantities. The more industrialised production becomes the more prices drop.

Electricity-based fuels, so-called Power-to-Liquid fuels (PtL) or “eFuels”, are also included in the sustainable aviation fuels category. This next generation of SAF involves synthetic crude oil being created from renewably generated electricity, water and CO₂ (from the atmosphere) that can then be processed into jet fuel. PtL aviation fuels are currently still in development towards industrial production, but are considered an important step towards carbon-neutral flying in the long term.

Sun-to-Liquid (StL) technology involves creating a synthetic gas from high temperature solar heat, water and CO₂ (from the atmosphere), from which liquid fuel like jet fuel can be produced in a standardised industrial process. A StL fuel like this closes the CO₂ cycle as, when combusting, it only releases as much CO₂ as was used for its production beforehand. The Lufthansa Group is driving the development of these technologies and is cooperating with the Swiss solar fuel pioneer Synhelion.