The Context
Before any new SAF can be used in commercial aircraft, it must first meet strict fuel specification requirements. A qualification process ensures the safe integration of new fuels with existing aircraft, engines and associated infrastructure, to be qualified as a ‘drop-in’ fuel, i.e. a fuel equivalent to conventional petroleum-derived aviation turbine fuel. The high cost and complexity of this qualification process presents a significant but necessary barrier to entry for new SAF types in the market.
Meeting the ReFuelEU Aviation mandates will require the use of new feedstocks and new conversion technologies to make new SAF types, resulting in an increase in SAF supply. Each one of these new SAF types – or so called SAF pathways – requires approval of the aviation original equipment manufacturers' (OEMs), and information to support the level of sustainability of each SAF type. In both regards, the EU SAF Clearing House works to support SAF producers in bringing their products to market, with supports organised across four service pillars.
Service Pillar 1: SAF Technical Quality Prescreening Service
Provides rapid and iterative initial assessment of SAF product conformity to an existing annex of ASTM D7566 or to positive evaluation & approval (i.e qualification) through ASTM D4054.
Service Pillar 2: ASTM D4054 SAF Regulatory Evaluation & Approval Service
Provides everything a SAF technology developer requires to obtain regulatory approval for their product, including support with costs.
Service Pillar 3: Sustainability Assessment & Certification Service
Provides everything SAF producers & SAF technology developers require to determine the sustainability of their SAF product and obtain sustainability certification.
Service Pillar 4: Championing SAF
Supports SAF sector growth through explaining challenges and opportunities in SAF regulatory approval, and in SAF deployment, to SAF producers, SAF technology developers, policy makers, EU institutions, and sustainable aviation stakeholders.
Our Aim
The EU SAF Clearing House aims to remove as many barriers as possible to support the EU & international deployment of SAFs.
The EU SAF Clearing House therefore gives priority support to accelerating the regulatory evaluation & approval of new SAF pathways (qualification) by working with the aviation OEMs to facilitate and improve the ASTM D4054 standard practice.
Serving as an impartial one-stop-shop for SAF producers, SAF technology developers and OEMs, the EU SAF Clearing House facilitates the ASTM D4054 synthetic aviation turbine fuel evaluation process in the EU, ensures data quality & efficiency of service, providing fuel testing capabilities and report writing functions.
