SASHA members FAQ

Joining the SASHA Coalition provides an opportunity for companies from these sectors to work alongside peers and future-proof their operations by shaping the regulations they will need to comply with in future.

The SASHA Coalition is facilitated by a dedicated team at climate NGO Opportunity Green. As a member, you will receive expert support on how to influence policy that will help you to develop and commercialise your technologies. We also facilitate meetings with policymakers to share policy proposals and give you the opportunity to have your voice heard. We commission up-to-date research on aviation, shipping and hydrogen, ensuring our members stay knowledgeable and informed. 

 We are also here to identify opportunities for our members to have their voices amplified in the press, on podcasts, through our own channels and at external events, showcasing them as first-movers in the transition away from fossil fuels. 

The frequency of meetings is shaped by members, and we want to make sure that joining the SASHA Coalition does not require a significant resource commitment from our members. We engage members around particular policy interventions at both the EU and UK level, and we coordinate meetings around these moments – usually no more than once a quarter.

More information on what joining the SASHA Coalition means for its members can be found in our ambition statement. To learn more, contact our Membership & Advocacy Officer, Sabrina Khan-Dighe.

The SASHA Coalition is explicitly policy focused. We are calling for policy and regulations put in place that require the use of renewable hydrogen and zero-carbon emission technologies in shipping and aviation for them to become available in sufficient quantities and at a lower price.

The SASHA Coalition maintains that electrification should be used in the first instance where possible. For short-medium haul journeys, zero-carbon emission technologies such as battery-electric or hybrid-electric applications are therefore the most sustainable solution. Where direct electrification is not possible, the next port of call should be hydrogen combustion and hydrogen fuel cell systems 

For longer journeys where electrification is not possible, alternative drop-in fuels are needed. Our research estimates that e-fuels (also known as synthetic fuels, Power-to-Liquid [PtL] fuels, or Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin [RFNBOs]) are the most sustainable and scalable. These fuels are made by combining renewable hydrogen with a sustainable form of carbon – ideally captured through direct air capture (DAC). Examples include e-kerosene for aviation and e-methanol or e-ammonia for shipping.

We recognise the global nature of these sectors, and engage with partners around the world as part of our work. For now we focus on the EU and UK as both are at a crucial point in the development of policies and regulations that will determine the future of renewable hydrogen-derived fuels and zero-carbon emission technologies – meaning action is needed now. 

While we’re starting in these geographies, we hope to expand our geographical focus as we grow. We also closely follow policy developments at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) or the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Shipping and aviation face many shared challenges. These include:

• Although electrification should always be the first technology used, this may not be suitable for longer journeys which need high-density fuels.

• The alternative drop-in fuels required to decarbonise both sectors are extremely energy-intensive.

• Both are regularly overlooked by policymakers due to their international nature.

While both sectors individually are making the case that renewable hydrogen-derived fuels and zero-carbon emission technologies are crucial to their decarbonisation, the message is stronger when unified. With both sectors coming together, policymakers will understand that this is not just one sector out for itself but a true coalition that is looking to ensure the goals of the Paris Agreement are achieved.  

Other industries are already being prioritised by governments for hydrogen and without stronger interventions and stronger policy, the aviation and shipping sectors will be overlooked. See our blog ‘5 reasons why we need another shipping and aviation coalition’ for more information.”

SASHA Coalition meetings will primarily take place virtually, however where in person (or hybrid) we will aim to align meetings with other events to limit the need for additional travel.

Decarbonising aviation and shipping will require cooperation and partnership at both a global and cross-sectoral level. The SASHA Coalition will complement and support other existing coalitions by providing dedicated resources on the specific issue of commercialising renewable hydrogen-derived fuels and zero-emission technologies for shipping and aviation.

We’re looking forward to working with other coalitions to amplify each other's messages in support of the overarching goal of achieving a just transition to net zero globally.

Success for the SASHA Coalition is EU and UK policy supporting the deployment of renewable hydrogen-derived fuels and zero-carbon emission technologies. While some policy support has begun to take shape, the SASHA Coalition strives to strengthen ambition and close the regulatory gaps holding back decarbonisation across the shipping and aviation ecosystems. Some existing policy support thus far includes:

• The UK Revenue Certainty Mechanism having a specific PtL fuel focus.

• The UK Revenue Certainty Mechanism being funded by suppliers.

• The ReFuelEU Aviation e-fuel sub-mandate.

• FuelEU Maritime mandates to reduce ships emission intensity.

• The EU eSAF Early Movers Coalition and pilot double-sided auction to de-risk e-fuel production.

The SASHA Coalition plays an instrumental role in influencing EU and UK policy by building a robust, evidence-based narrative on the need for renewable hydrogen derived fuels and zero-carbon emission technologies for shipping and aviation decarbonisation.

We are working to address barriers to commercialisation of renewable-hydrogen fuels and zero-carbon emission technologies. To do this, we address the knowledge gap which:

• Mistakenly prioritises biofuels

• Prevents a long-term plan for which renewable hydrogen-derived fuels and zero-carbon emission technologies are key.

• Misses out on the climate, economic, and competitive benefits of these technologies.

We also engage decision makers by presenting them with evidence that renewable hydrogen-derived fuels and zero carbon emission technologies are crucial not only for shipping and aviation decarbonisation, but also for the competitiveness and economic development of the EU and UK.