India SAF Conclave Sets 2030 Blending Target as SAF Association Projects 40 Million Tonnes Annual Capacity by 2050
Why It MattersIndia's SAF push signals a broader push by emerging aviation markets to build domestic feedstock and refining capacity ahead of international blending mandates.
The 2nd India SAF Conclave & Awards 2026, organised by the SAF Association (SAFA), took place at Bharat Mandapam on September 28-29, drawing more than 500 delegates, 200 companies and 100 industry leaders from over 25 countries. SAFA estimates India could produce approximately 40 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel per year by 2050, roughly 10% of global production potential.
A joint report by S&P Global Energy and SAFA outlined an indicative blending pathway for international flights of 1% in 2027, 2% in 2028 and 5% by 2030, with demand rising from about 46,000 tonnes to roughly 250,000 tonnes over that period. Existing certified capacity, from four ISCC-CORSIA certified co-processing facilities with combined capacity of 106,500 tonnes, is expected to cover the 2027 and 2028 milestones, though the report warned the 5% target will be missed if HEFA and alcohol-to-jet projects scheduled for 2028-2030 do not come online.
On feedstock, India's sugarcane ethanol supply of approximately 1.5 billion litres gives alcohol-to-jet production a head start, while annual edible oil consumption of 29-30 million tonnes could yield 1.8-2.6 million tonnes of used cooking oil for SAF, though only a small share currently reaches authorised collection channels. Conclave materials estimated feedstock opportunities could add around $160-300 per hectare to farmer income, and SAF was cited as delivering lifecycle CO2 savings of up to 80%. S&P Global Energy estimated India's jet fuel demand could grow from approximately 192,000 barrels per day in 2024 to 277,000 barrels per day by 2031.
Rohit Kumar, Secretary General of SAFA and CMAI, said the association aims to connect policymakers, investors, technology providers, feedstock players and buyers through its SAFA Matchmaking programme. Alok Sharma, Vice President of SAFA, said scaling SAF will require reliable feedstocks, technology readiness, financing, certification, infrastructure and long-term offtake commitments. Ambassadors from Oman and Iceland also spoke on international cooperation, and the conclave saw the launch of a dedicated SAF YouTube channel alongside B2B, B2G meetings and MoU signings.
