UK SAF Mandate: crop-derived fuels

Introduction

The UK SAF Mandate came into action in January 2025 and requires progressively increasing proportions of the national fuel mix to be met with alternative aviation fuels, or so-called “sustainable” aviation fuels (SAF).

Fuels made from crops were originally excluded as eligible for meeting SAF Mandate requirements, but the UK government launched a call for evidence on the use of crops in producing alternative fuels.

What our response said

The SASHA Coalition’s response to the UK consultation argues that:

1. Changing the SAF Mandate by making crops eligible feedstocks risks undermining investor confidence in alternative fuel projects that will reduce more emissions, like Power-to-Liquid.

2. Using crops as fuel feedstocks risks creating food insecurity and causing food price inflation.

3. Crop-based biofuel production produces high emissions through indirect land use changes (ILUC) that are not always accounted for, and may have a serious impact on British nature and biodiversity.

4. Making crop-derived biofuels eligible will do nothing for UK producers since they will get outcompeted by cheaper imports from the USA.

With a lack of revenue support in place (until the revenue support mechanism comes into operation) and existing regulatory uncertainty meaning that no Power-to-Liquid projects having yet reached final investment decision (FID) in the UK, now more than ever the UK needs to provide certainty that the SAF Mandate is here to stay in its current form.