(Agence Ecofin) – While its supply is almost non-existent in Africa due to a lack of local producers, sustainable aviation fuel, announced as the main vector of carbon neutrality in aviation, expects a strong growth market by 2050 . A prospect which interests certain countries like Zimbabwe, endowed with production resources.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) and the International Civil Aviation Organization are planning an assessment of the national potential for marketable production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Steps have been taken as part of this study, informs Nonkosi Ncube, the CEO of CAAZ.
“This large-scale commercial implementation study represents an important step in our journey towards sustainable aviation. Our objectives are clear: assess the potential of the SAF market in Zimbabwe, develop a business case for investment in SAF and identify policy and regulatory frameworks for the growth of SAF” she declared.
Like several other African countries, Zimbabwe cultivates the products used in the manufacture of SAF, such as vegetable oils (palm, soya, etc.), sugar cane, and agricultural residues (straw, hulls, etc.). ). According to government forecasts, sugarcane production will increase by 1% to 3.5 million metric tonnes in the 2023/24 marketing year. The country also has vast cultivable areas.
The initiative joins the ambitions of countries such as Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria which seek to position themselves as key producers of this fuel, mainly imported into Africa. With the ICAO 2050 objective which calls for replacing Jet A1 and other kerosene derivatives with SAF as a fuel to achieve carbon neutrality in aviation, the demand for SAF is expected to increase significantly.
According to forecasts from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 450 billion liters of sustainable fuel will be needed each year to reach the 2050 target. Achieving it will require an investment of USD 174 billion per year, a large part of which will be spent on SAF procurement. Total investment is expected to reach USD 4700 billion by the indicated horizon.
Henoc Dossa
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