Key Takeaways
• SABA released its third RFP on May 6, 2025, to boost next-generation sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply.
• New aggregated procurement secures long-term SAF contracts, encouraging investment in advanced fuel plants operational by 2030.
• SABA’s collective approach has driven $200 million in SAF investment, supporting large-scale adoption with over 50 million gallons procured.
The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) has announced a new and ambitious initiative designed to bring more next-generation sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into the global market. On May 6, 2025, SABA released its third request for proposal (RFP), which specifically aims to secure and grow the supply of advanced SAF through collective long-term purchase agreements. This move is expected to shape the way airlines, businesses, and entire industries approach climate goals linked to air travel and shipping.
SABA’s New Step Toward Net-Zero Aviation
SABA’s new RFP marks its first-ever aggregated procurement for next-generation SAF. By “aggregated,” SABA means that instead of single buyers working alone, its member companies join together to buy large amounts of SAF. This method makes it easier to convince fuel producers to invest in new plants, since there’s a reliable customer base ready to buy fuel for years to come. The main goal is to help sustainable aviation fuel producers make their final investment decisions—called FID—by 2026, so their new next-generation SAF plants can be up and running by 2030. This initiative is not just about new fuel contracts; it’s about jumping forward in the journey to reduce greenhouse gases from airplanes.
Next-generation SAF, the focus of this RFP, includes newer types of fuel like “power-to-liquids,” which use green electricity to turn carbon dioxide and water into a liquid fuel, and advanced fuels made from plant or waste materials that don’t compete with food supplies. These new fuels have fewer supply problems compared to older methods, which often rely on limited sources like used cooking oil.
Why This Matters Now
The aviation sector is under pressure to lower its carbon footprint. Planes use a lot of fuel, and traditional jet fuel creates a large share of greenhouse gases worldwide. SAF is widely seen as one of the most effective near-term solutions for cutting these emissions. In fact, the right kind of sustainable aviation fuel can cut the carbon impact of flying by over 80% compared to standard jet fuel, according to official sources. However, despite its potential, SAF accounts for less than 0.5% of all jet fuel used globally. Not only that, but it also costs much more than standard fuel, making it hard for airlines and travelers to make the switch.
This new initiative by SABA aims to solve both problems by helping to make more advanced SAF available and supporting new factories that will eventually lower the price. With long-term contracts, fuel makers have a strong reason to invest in these new plants, knowing there are customers for their fuel.
How SABA’s Procurement Initiative Works
SABA’s third RFP focuses specifically on next-generation SAF, and it is unique in that it pools the purchase power of its member companies. Here’s a closer look at how the initiative is set up:
- Forward Commitments: Members sign contracts to buy SAF for five to ten years. This guarantees producers a market, which helps them secure loans and investment for building new next-generation SAF plants.
- Proof of Volume: The guaranteed purchase volume is meant to be big enough to support at least one new SAF plant’s final investment decision. The plan is for these new plants to start producing by 2030.
- Focus on Advanced Fuels: Only next-generation SAF options are included—these are fuels made using the latest technology and alternative feedstocks, which means things like green electricity or less common plant materials.
- Sustainability Criteria: Not just any new SAF will do. The fuel must pass SABA’s high standards for being truly sustainable.
The hope is that by pulling together industry demand, SABA strongly encourages investment in cutting-edge fuel production. This, in turn, could help the entire industry move away from fossil fuels faster.
SABA’s Track Record and Growing Impact
Since SABA began its work in 2021, it has become an important force in the move toward sustainable flight. As reported by VisaVerge.com, SABA’s approach of collective buying and forward contracts has drawn praise for getting real investment flowing toward SAF production. Here are some key points from SABA’s history:
- $200 Million in Total SAF Investment: Since its start, the alliance has directed about $200 million toward SAF investment.
- First Pilot Procurement: In 2021, SABA ran its first pilot, buying certificates for about 850,000 gallons of SAF. This step alone removed an estimated 8,500 tons of carbon dioxide from the air.
- Multi-Year Procurement Success: In 2023-2024, SABA carried out a multi-year contract involving 27 participant companies. This project supported the purchase of around 50 million gallons of SAF—a huge leap from its first effort.
- Growing Ambitions: The new RFP for next-generation SAF looks to change the speed and scale of SAF adoption, supporting even longer-term and larger supply arrangements.
This stepwise increase in ambition shows how quickly the industry can move when big companies and airlines join forces.
Broad Membership and Industry Partnerships
SABA is not just a club for airlines. Its more than 35 member companies represent many different industries—finance, technology, media, entertainment, consulting, and, of course, airlines themselves. This diversity is one reason the alliance has had so much success pulling in investment. Major airline partners, such as Alaska Air, JetBlue, and Southwest, have joined the effort. Technology companies like Twelve are contributing their new ways of making fuel, including “e-fuels” created using green power and captured carbon. SABA has also built strong ties with SAF solutions providers like SkyNRG and fuel producers such as World Energy. By bringing together airlines, buyers, and innovators, the alliance has been able to make a bigger impact in the market.
Making a Difference for the Environment
One of the biggest selling points of sustainable aviation fuel is its ability to sharply cut greenhouse gas emissions. But the real world is more complicated. For example, only a tiny slice of the world’s jet fuel supply currently comes from SAF, and most of it gets sold at a higher price than regular fuel.
This is part of what makes SABA’s new next-generation initiative important. By pushing for advanced SAF technologies that use a broader range of starting materials, the alliance is trying to help solve some of the supply chain limitations that stop SAF from being used more widely. These new technologies aren’t yet everywhere—they are often “in their infancy,” as Kim Carnahan, CEO of the Center for Green Market Activation and head of SABA Secretariat, has pointed out. But supporting them now means helping them grow up faster. Carnahan has said that by taking part in this new procurement, SABA’s members will be able to hit their emission reduction goals for corporate air travel and air freight. They’ll do this by buying advance certificates, called SAF certificates (SAFc), which are closely linked to the new, more sustainable types of fuel.
The environmental logic is clear: greater use of next-generation SAF, especially those meeting high standards, means deeper carbon cuts for every flight.
How Certificates Work—and Why They Matter
One of the challenges of selling sustainable fuel is making sure buyers really get what they pay for. That’s where SAF certificates, or SAFc, come in. When companies sign purchase agreements with fuel makers, they receive certificates showing the amount and quality of SAF that has been produced and used. These certificates help track and prove real reductions in climate pollution. SABA only recognizes SAFc from fuel meeting its strict requirements—fuel that is made using methods and starting materials that deliver real, measurable carbon savings.
Buying these certificates helps companies prove their progress on emissions when reporting to investors, regulators, and the public. It also helps grow demand for advanced and next-generation SAF, sending a strong signal to producers and the market as a whole.
Challenges Facing SAF Supply and Price
While interest in sustainability is high, the aviation sector still faces big barriers in making SAF mainstream. Right now, SAF’s share of global jet fuel is below 0.5%. One of the main reasons is price. Today’s SAF, made mostly from used cooking oil or crops, is much more expensive to make than regular jet fuel. Airlines have tight budgets and very small profit margins, making it hard to pay more for fuel—even if it’s cleaner.
Next-generation SAF could change the game. These new fuels could be made at bigger scale and from more plentiful sources, breaking through some of the “feedstock” problems that have slowed the growth of SAF to date. Plus, with alliances like SABA helping to lock in large, long-term commitments, it becomes less risky for producers to spend money building the new plants needed to make these fuels.
Why Policy and Collective Action Matter
The work of the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance underlines the importance of collective action. It’s difficult for one company alone—no matter how big—to push the whole market ahead. By banding together, SABA’s members can offer “demand signals” that producers and investors take seriously. This, in turn, makes banks and governments more confident about backing new SAF factories, because there’s a locked-in base of long-term customers.
In the bigger picture, this sort of initiative fits right into government climate and innovation targets. Countries around the world, including the United States 🇺🇸, have set official goals for cutting greenhouse gases and ramping up the use of sustainable fuels in transportation. Programs like SABA’s, which bring together airlines, big businesses, and new technology companies, are often seen as models for how industry can work alongside policymakers to speed up the shift to cleaner fuels.
Future Prospects: SAF and Global Aviation
If SABA’s new procurement plan succeeds, it won’t just help a few big members reach their goals—it could also lead to real change across the aviation sector. With more investment, better supply chains, and a stronger market for next-generation sustainable aviation fuel, experts expect that the price of SAF will drop and its use will spread faster. This could create a “virtuous cycle,” where lower prices bring more buyers, which in turn supports even more investment in new technology.
Many in the industry see advanced projects, like those championed by SABA, as key to unlocking the full potential of sustainable aviation. If these plans deliver, the world could see much more advanced fuel being used for flights within just a few years—making a real dent in aviation’s contribution to climate change.
Conclusion: What This Means for the Future of Low-Carbon Flight
The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance’s next-generation SAF procurement effort marks a new and hopeful chapter for clean flight. By organizing collective, long-term purchases, SABA is showing a path for others—both in the United States 🇺🇸 and around the world—to follow. The alliance’s work proves that you don’t have to wait for perfect government policies or big changes in consumer behavior. Instead, businesses can come together right now and invest in the cleaner technologies needed for the future.
As these next-generation fuels become available and costs come down, SABA’s vision of mainstream, sustainable flight looks closer than ever. For airlines, companies, travelers, and policymakers, following this progress will be key to making air travel fit a low-carbon world.
For those interested in learning more about how SAF works and what SABA is doing in this area, visit the official Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance website for detailed information and updates on member actions, fuel criteria, and future projects.
By bringing the power of collective purchase and the promise of next-generation technology together, the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance is offering a practical blueprint for decarbonizing aviation—one fuel contract, one plant, and one innovation at a time.
Learn Today
SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) → A cleaner alternative jet fuel produced from renewable sources like waste materials or green electricity, cutting aviation emissions significantly.
RFP (Request for Proposal) → A formal call issued by organizations inviting suppliers to submit bids for providing goods or services—here, next-generation SAF.
Aggregated Procurement → A process where multiple buyers join together to make large, collective purchases, guaranteeing demand for suppliers.
Final Investment Decision (FID) → A critical commitment by companies to invest in building new production plants, based on sufficient guaranteed demand.
SAF Certificates (SAFc) → Proof documents verifying that a certain quantity of certified sustainable aviation fuel has been purchased and used to meet climate goals.
This Article in a Nutshell
SABA is transforming aviation by launching its third RFP to accelerate next-generation sustainable aviation fuel. Through collective, long-term agreements, SABA encourages producers to invest in advanced fuels. This initiative is expected to drastically cut aviation carbon emissions and reshape how the industry, governments, and travelers pursue climate goals.
— By VisaVerge.com
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