Sustainable Aviation Fuels: A Rural Opportunity for Spain?

In the framework of the Iberia-UPM Chair, last Wednesday, April 10, we held an interesting (im)probable dialogue on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), the main challenges involved in their implementation and the opportunities they can mean for rural Spain.

After a first (im)probable dialogue on the challenges of reducing CO2 emissions from aviation, and the social impact of the sector, this is the second dialogue that arises from Iberia and its sustainability team to openly raise the challenges of decarbonizing a sector such as air transport, and their interest in listening to young students, academics from the aviation and industrial sector, and third sector organizations, building a vision as comprehensive as possible about the challenges and opportunities of this transition.

We had as guests Ismael Aznar, environment and climate partner at PwC, Ignacio Bilbao, responsible for the SAF strategy in the European Union for IAG and Mario Rodriguez, Associate Director of Just Transition and Global Partnerships at ECODES Foundation. The event was moderated by Fátima Rojas, an independent expert with extensive experience in sustainability and international relations.

What did we talk about in the dialogue?

The first intervention was by Ismael Aznar, who explained that FFS currently represent the most sustainable option with respect to aviation fuels. “Decarbonizing the aviation sector represents one of the most difficult challenges today. PEFs represent a viable alternative, but a series of plants must be installed where biological waste is present,” said Aznar, adding: ”It is an opportunity not only because it helps us to achieve climate neutrality, but also because it opens up other economic opportunities that could produce positive impacts.

But what is the current outlook for PBSs? Ignacio Bilbao mentioned that some measures have been established in the aviation sector, such as 10% use of UFAS by 2030 and that 42% of decarbonization in the industry would come from the use of UFAS.” “To design and implement this, it is necessary to delve into a short, medium and long term strategy. Spain has many resources and conditions to lead this process,” Bilbao said. Despite this great opportunity, he was clear in expressing that there are still many pending issues regarding regulation, ticket prices, the lack of raw material to generate the fuel and the uncertainty that can generate that.

Regarding the start-up of PAS production, there are still pending issues and Mario Rodriguez was clear on that. The guest spoke about the fact that in Europe there is a very different regulatory framework than in other parts of the world and in those regions the regulation on UAS is not entirely clear. Of all the sectors that are working towards mobility neutrality, aviation is undoubtedly the most proactive. This is very much appreciated,” Rodriguez explained, adding: ”This process requires planning in every area, for example, what kind of land is needed, how is the raw material distributed and from which industries to get it?

An open dialogue

Moving on to the debate, Cecilia López reflected on the different tensions that the development of renewable energies in Spain (solar and wind) has generated. She posed the following question: “Is there a public policy that brings together all the actors involved in RES?

In response to this question, Ismael Aznar said: “In order to promote this change, it is necessary to generate a regulation, to encourage the incorporation of RES and to look for ways to make their use attractive. Planning this whole process is very complicated”.

On the other hand, Margarita de Gregorio, General Secretary of BIOPLAT, Spanish Technological and Innovation Platform, distinguished between renewable energies (wind and solar electricity) and biofuels such as PBS, explaining that people’s perception and the conflicts that renewable energies have unleashed in rural Spain, do not have to be formed with the production of PBS. “In the case of biofuels, this will be an industry much more akin to a cookie plant, than a photovoltaic. The size of a PAS production plant would be considerably smaller and there would be more dynamism in the industrial processes. It is an opportunity for rural Spain to be a key player in biofuels,” said Margarita de Gregorio.

In contrast, and providing a new vision, Abel Jimenez, chief engineer of decarbonization projects at ITP Aero, explained that they are currently testing small aircraft that use hydrogen for propulsion, as well as technological developments for the use of hydrogen in commercial aircraft, exploring its potential to contribute to the decarbonization of air transport.

In the framework of the Iberia-UPM Chair, last Wednesday, April 10, we held an interesting (im)probable dialogue on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), the main challenges involved in their implementation and the opportunities they can mean for rural Spain.

After a first (im)probable dialogue on the challenges of reducing CO2 emissions from aviation, and the social impact of the sector, this is the second dialogue that arises from Iberia and its sustainability team to openly raise the challenges of decarbonizing a sector such as air transport, and their interest in listening to young students, academics from the aviation and industrial sector, and third sector organizations, building a vision as comprehensive as possible about the challenges and opportunities of this transition.

We had as guests Ismael Aznar, environment and climate partner at PwC, Ignacio Bilbao, responsible for the SAF strategy in the European Union for IAG and Mario Rodriguez, Associate Director of Just Transition and Global Partnerships at ECODES Foundation. The event was moderated by Fátima Rojas, an independent expert with extensive experience in sustainability and international relations.

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What did we talk about in the dialogue?

The first intervention was by Ismael Aznar, who explained that FFS currently represent the most sustainable option with respect to aviation fuels. “Decarbonizing the aviation sector represents one of the most difficult challenges today. PEFs represent a viable alternative, but a series of plants must be installed where biological waste is present,” said Aznar, adding: ”It is an opportunity not only because it helps us to achieve climate neutrality, but also because it opens up other economic opportunities that could produce positive impacts.

But what is the current outlook for PBSs? Ignacio Bilbao mentioned that some measures have been established in the aviation sector, such as 10% use of UFAS by 2030 and that 42% of decarbonization in the industry would come from the use of UFAS.” “To design and implement this, it is necessary to delve into a short, medium and long term strategy. Spain has many resources and conditions to lead this process,” Bilbao said. Despite this great opportunity, he was clear in expressing that there are still many pending issues regarding regulation, ticket prices, the lack of raw material to generate the fuel and the uncertainty that can generate that.

Regarding the start-up of PAS production, there are still pending issues and Mario Rodriguez was clear on that. The guest spoke about the fact that in Europe there is a very different regulatory framework than in other parts of the world and in those regions the regulation on UAS is not entirely clear. Of all the sectors that are working towards mobility neutrality, aviation is undoubtedly the most proactive. This is very much appreciated,” Rodriguez explained, adding: ”This process requires planning in every area, for example, what kind of land is needed, how is the raw material distributed and from which industries to get it?

An open dialogue

Moving on to the debate, Cecilia López reflected on the different tensions that the development of renewable energies in Spain (solar and wind) has generated. She posed the following question: “Is there a public policy that brings together all the actors involved in RES?

In response to this question, Ismael Aznar said: “In order to promote this change, it is necessary to generate a regulation, to encourage the incorporation of RES and to look for ways to make their use attractive. Planning this whole process is very complicated”.

On the other hand, Margarita de Gregorio, General Secretary of BIOPLAT, Spanish Technological and Innovation Platform, distinguished between renewable energies (wind and solar electricity) and biofuels such as PBS, explaining that people’s perception and the conflicts that renewable energies have unleashed in rural Spain, do not have to be formed with the production of PBS. “In the case of biofuels, this will be an industry much more akin to a cookie plant, than a photovoltaic. The size of a PAS production plant would be considerably smaller and there would be more dynamism in the industrial processes. It is an opportunity for rural Spain to be a key player in biofuels,” said Margarita de Gregorio.

In contrast, and providing a new vision, Abel Jimenez, chief engineer of decarbonization projects at ITP Aero, explained that they are currently testing small aircraft that use hydrogen for propulsion, as well as technological developments for the use of hydrogen in commercial aircraft, exploring its potential to contribute to the decarbonization of air transport.

Sustainable Aviation Fuels: A Rural Opportunity for Spain?