India has opportunity to become net exporter of sustainable aviation fuel: Boeing executive
While mentioning that the country will have a newer and younger aircraft fleet in the coming years that will also help in decarbonisation, Gupte also said it can be looked at how India can play a role in industrialisation of biofuels for aviation.
The barrier for SAF is not going to be aeroplane technology or engineering technology but the supply factor and how the fuel can be made more economical, he noted. Currently, SAF costs 2.5 to 3.5 times more than Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). If the world is to reach the net zero goal for aviation by 2050, it needs to have 185 million tonnes of SAF per year. India's feedstock, whether it is used cooking oil, agricultural waste or the like, will be able to make 8-10 million tonnes of SAF per year.
"This means that India can actually provide over 5 per cent of the world's SAF requirements... India can be an exporter of SAF. This creates an opportunity. This means India can help decarbonise the civil aviation industry," Gupte said and added that turning agricultural waste into SAF will be a tremendous opportunity.
Boeing, a leading aircraft maker, has a significant presence in India.
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