For sustainability professionals facing the complex challenge of reducing business travel emissions, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Certificates offer an innovative pathway to claim verified carbon reductions and support the aviation industry's low-carbon transition. SAF certificates are considered a type of specialized Energy Attribute Certificate (EAC) focused on air travel, enabling market-driven decarbonization by providing a means to separate, track, and claim environmental benefits associated with SAF production and use.
95%
SAF can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95% compared to conventional jet fuel
What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is an innovative, low-carbon alternative to traditional fossil jet fuel. Made from renewable, non-petroleum feedstocks such as waste used cooking oils and agricultural residues, SAF significantly reduces the environmental footprint of air travel. Depending on the feedstock and production process, SAF can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95% compared to conventional jet fuel, helping the aviation industry move towards net-zero emissions. It is fully compatible with existing aircraft engines and fueling infrastructure, making it an immediate, scalable solution for cleaner skies.
What are SAF certificates?
SAF certificates are tradable environmental attribution certificates that represent the carbon emission reductions associated with the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, even if your business does not directly purchase or operate flights using SAF. Through a transparent book and claim system, companies can buy SAF certificates, which correspond to verified volumes of SAF production and use by airlines. This mechanism allows businesses to claim credible reductions in aviation-related carbon emissions, support the expansion of SAF production, and participate in decarbonizing air travel without operational changes in their travel practices. SAF certificates are independently verified and tracked to ensure transparency, integrity, and prevent double-counting of emission reductions.
Companies looking to use SAF certificates must first measure their air travel footprint using a tool like the ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator, then decide what percentage of their business travel footprint they want to compensate for with SAF certificates versus traditional carbon offsets, then work with a reputable partner like Climate Impact Partners to purchase and retire the instruments, and finally report the use of SAF certificates in their sustainability reporting following leading frameworks like SBTi.
Benefits of SAF certificates for your business:
- Reduce your company’s hard-to-reduce business travel emissions with verified reductions
- Claim the environmental benefits of cleaner, low‑carbon fuel through trusted public registries, without changing travel operations
- Support the scale‑up of sustainable aviation by driving demand for SAF production, sending a powerful market signal
Interested in SAF?
Get in touch today with our experts who can discuss how SAF certificates can help reduce your business travel footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Certificates
How is SAF different from traditional jet fuel?
SAF is produced from renewable or waste-based feedstocks and significantly reduces lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. It’s chemically similar to conventional jet fuel, so it can be used in current aircraft without engine modifications.
What is a SAF certificate and how does it work?
SAF certificates are tradable certificates representing the carbon reduction achieved by a certain quantity of SAF used in flights. Businesses purchase credits to claim these emissions reductions without directly using the fuel on their flights.
Can SAF certificates replace actual carbon offset purchases?
SAF certificates are focused on reducing emissions through sustainable fuel use and complement many carbon offset solutions, but do not replace offsetting entirely. They specifically address the aviation emissions and cannot be used to offset a business' general (non-flight) operational emissions.
How are SAF certificates verified?
Independent certification bodies and registries verify SAF certificate transactions to ensure transparency, no double counting, and compliance with recognized standards.
Can my business continue using the same travel processes when buying SAF certificates?
Yes. SAF certificates allow emission claims without requiring changes to travel booking or operations, making it a practical way to fund immediate carbon reductions.
