Working on SAF roadmap for Indian airlines: Scindia
Mint. CORSIA, established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations agency, is the first global measure to reduce emissions from international flights. In 2016, the ICAO agreed to establish CORSIA framework, to set a carbon-neutral growth target from 2019.
The adoption of CORSIA has been chalked out under three phases: a pilot phase (2021 – 2023); first phase (2024 – 2026); and a second phase (2027 – 2035). The participation of countries in the pilot and first phase is voluntary. India, opting out of the initial phase, will join in the second phase starting in 2027.
India had earlier considered mandating blended SAF use by airlines from 2025, beginning with 1% green fuel and increasing to 5% by 2030. “...it is easier said than done, because the equipment today can take SAF, but the problem in the world, not only in India, is production, storage and transport of SAF. Vistara has done an international flight with SAF while SpiceJet has done it on a domestic flight with SAF, so the problem is not whether your machine can use it, the problem is getting to the bowser to put it into the aircraft," Scindia said.
The ICAO is endorsing various methods for producing green fuel. In India, potential SAF sources include cooking oil, municipal solid wastes, agricultural residues, cane molasses, syrup, and hydrogen technology. “We are talking with the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, Indian Oil is also setting up a facility to manufacture SAF, some airlines are also looking to invest into some of those SAF ventures with oil marketing companies, so it is progressing, but it is something that the world is working on together," the minister added.
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