SMBC Aviation Capital and Trinity College Dublin have published a new report, Catalysing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Deployment, outlining the key barriers and actions required to scale SAF production and support aviation’s decarbonisation. The report is based on discussions held at a roundtable convened in December 2025 and reflects a system-level perspective on the technological, financial and regulatory factors shaping SAF deployment. The report reflects insights from a cross-industry roundtable of stakeholders across aviation, finance and academia, highlighting that while demand for SAF is strengthening, supply remains structurally constrained.
SAF is widely recognised as a critical enabler of aviation’s transition to net zero. However, discussions at the roundtable event suggested that progress is being slowed by a combination of interlinked challenges, including limited access to capital, lengthy fuel qualification processes, feedstock competition, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory uncertainty. As a result, many announced SAF production projects have yet to reach final investment decision, underscoring the need for coordinated intervention to unlock deployment at scale.
Commenting on the publication of the report, the SVP Sustainability & Corporate Affairs, SMBC Aviation Capital, Annabel FitzGerald said, “Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a key enabler on the journey to decarbonising the aviation sector. While there is broad agreement on its importance, alignment alone will not deliver SAF at scale. This report highlights the structural challenges that continue to inhibit deployment, including access to capital, infrastructure and regulatory clarity. Overcoming these barriers requires coordinated action across industry, policymakers and finance to create a credible, investable pathway. As a leading global aviation platform, we are committed to advancing sustainability in a way that maintains global connectivity and supports economic growth. Crucially, we must also show that progress is possible by turning ambition into action and demonstrating that scaled SAF deployment is achievable.”
Also commenting was Professor Stephen Dooley, Lead of the Trinity SAF Lab and the EU SAF Clearing House, who explained, “Policy Makers are united on the concept of transitioning aviation to SAF due to the net-zero compatible carbon savings that it will bring. The benefits of wide-scale deployment of SAF will be universally shared – a more climate-resilient environment and a more sustainable aviation sector. The findings from our latest advocacy efforts are set out in Catalysing Sustainable Aviation Fuel Deployment, articulating what we are learning from discussions with SAF value chain actors. We find pinch points in delivering first-of-a-kind SAF projects at large scale. Debt and equity providers struggle to support final investment decisions for SAF projects due to perceived risks around the high price of SAF and large-volume contracts.”
The full report, Catalysing Sustainable Aviation Fuel Deployment, is available HERE.
