Airbus, OMV & ISCC Partner to Scale SAF Book and Claim System

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is collaborating with Austrian energy company OMV and the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) to advance a 'Book and Claim' system for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of renewable jet fuel by addressing logistical and infrastructure challenges, thereby scaling the market for aviation decarbonization solutions. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), SAF can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80% over its lifecycle compared to conventional jet fuel.

The collaboration focuses on strengthening the credibility and transparency of the Book and Claim model. This system allows an airline or corporate customer to purchase the environmental benefits of SAF without taking physical delivery of the fuel itself. The actual SAF is delivered to an airport near its production facility, while the purchaser receives a certified claim for the emissions reduction. This approach decouples the sustainability attributes from the physical fuel flow, overcoming the significant hurdle of transporting SAF to every airport, a process that is currently cost-prohibitive and logistically complex.

The Mechanics of a Credible System

Under this partnership, OMV will produce the SAF, which is then certified by ISCC. Airbus will leverage its position as a major aircraft manufacturer to support the framework's adoption across the industry. The ISCC's role is critical in ensuring the integrity of the system, providing a robust chain of custody that prevents double-counting and guarantees that each sustainability claim corresponds to a specific, physically produced batch of SAF. This traceability is essential for building trust among customers, regulators, and the public, particularly as corporations increasingly use SAF certificates to address their Scope 3 emissions from business travel.

According to IATA, global SAF production reached approximately 600 million liters in 2023, double the output from 2022. While this growth is significant, it represents a small fraction of the industry's total fuel consumption. Models like Book and Claim are seen as vital to stimulating demand and encouraging further investment in production capacity.

Strategic Goals and Production Targets

The initiative aligns with the strategic objectives of all three partners. Airbus has a stated goal for all its aircraft to be capable of flying with 100% SAF by 2030. Currently, all Airbus aircraft are certified for up to a 50% SAF blend. For OMV (Österreichische Mineralölverwaltung), the partnership supports its transition into a leading European producer of sustainable fuels.

Nina Marczell, SVP at OMV, stated, "Our goal is to become a leading European producer of sustainable fuels. We will increase our production capacity to up to 1.5 million tons for renewable fuels and chemical feedstock per year by 2030 – with SAF making up a substantial portion." The company plans for its SAF sales from its own production to exceed 700,000 metric tons per year by that deadline.

Regulatory and Industry Context

This collaboration occurs within a supportive but demanding regulatory environment. The European Union's ReFuelEU Aviation initiative mandates a minimum share of SAF in jet fuel supplied at EU airports, starting at 2% in 2025 and increasing to 70% by 2050. Similarly, the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) allows airlines to claim SAF usage to reduce their offsetting obligations.

The ICAO has an aspirational goal to reduce international aviation CO2 emissions by 5 percent by 2030 through cleaner energy sources. IATA's long-term outlook suggests SAF could account for approximately 65% of the total emissions reduction required for the aviation sector to achieve its net-zero target by 2050. The Book and Claim model provides a pragmatic tool to help meet these ambitious mandates by making SAF accessible to a broader market.

What Comes Next

The immediate focus of the partnership will be on refining the certification and accounting processes to ensure they are transparent and universally accepted. This includes creating a digital registry to track the issuance, transfer, and retirement of SAF certificates. As regulatory frameworks like ReFuelEU evolve, the system developed by Airbus, OMV, and ISCC could serve as a blueprint for compliance across the industry.

Looking ahead, the success of this model is expected to unlock further investment in SAF production facilities. OMV's commitment to scaling its output is a key part of this equation, signaling to the market that a reliable supply will be available to back the certificates being traded.

Why This Matters

This partnership addresses a critical bottleneck in the aviation industry's energy transition. By creating a credible and scalable Book and Claim system, it provides a market-based mechanism to channel investment into SAF production without waiting for a complete overhaul of global fuel logistics infrastructure. For airlines and corporate clients, it offers a verifiable way to meet climate goals and regulatory obligations, ultimately accelerating the industry's path toward decarbonization.

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