Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Ireland Must Help Shape the Policy, Not Just Chase the Opportunity

The Government recently published Ireland’s first Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Policy Roadmap. It is a welcome step, recognising the unique role our country plays in global aviation. But unless Ireland turns words into action, we risk being policy takers, not policy shapers—and the economic opportunity will pass us by.

The race to decarbonise aviation is now global. Every major government, airline, and fuel producer is grappling with the same question: how do we maintain connectivity without compromising the climate? Within the EU, the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation makes action unavoidable, with binding SAF targets rising from 2% in 2025 to 70% by 2050.

 Ireland should be at the centre of this discussion. We are home to the world’s largest aircraft leasing sector, a high-performing aviation supply chain, and one of Europe’s busiest transatlantic corridors. That makes us more than a passenger in this debate—we should be helping to chart the course.

 The Government’s roadmap deserves credit for acknowledging these realities. It correctly highlights our long-term advantage in offshore wind and green hydrogen, the potential for advanced fuels from waste, and the role of existing refining infrastructure in the shorter term. It also commits to robust sustainability standards, with Ireland supporting the EU’s Union Database to ensure traceability and eliminate fraud. These are positions Fuels for Ireland strongly supports.

 But recognition is not the same as leadership. The roadmap sets out pathways, but few firm measures. Other countries are already moving beyond aspiration. The UK has established a £165 million Advanced Fuels Fund to kickstart domestic production. The Netherlands and France are deploying blending mandates with subsidies attached. These governments are not waiting for perfect conditions; they are creating them.

 Ireland, by contrast, has published a plan that identifies opportunities but offers little certainty to investors. It leans heavily on future technologies such as e-fuels that may not scale until the 2030s or 2040s, while saying little about the immediate incentives needed to bridge the price gap between SAF and conventional jet fuel today. Without concrete supports—grants, tax credits, contracts for difference, and blending incentives—capital will flow elsewhere.

 That matters because the numbers are compelling. A study by SkyNRG and SFS Ireland, backed by global aviation leaders, estimates that Ireland could produce up to €2.5 billion worth of SAF annually by 2050. The jobs, investment, and export potential are real. But so too are the risks of inertia. Without a framework that de-risks early investment, Ireland’s role will be limited to paying more for imported fuels while watching others capture the benefits.

 Policy is the lever that can close the gap. Governments can ensure rigorous certification, create investment certainty, and design markets that reward verified sustainability without exposing early movers to disproportionate risk. That is why Ireland must not simply comply with Brussels but actively engage in shaping the rules. Influence at EU level is how we secure fair access to funding, avoid distortionary incentives, and futureproof Irish investment.

 Our aviation sector cannot afford for Ireland to sit on the sidelines. Being known as a hub is not the same as being respected as a leader. Leadership means urgency, ideas, and a willingness to shape the rules others will follow.

 The roadmap gives us a platform. Now we must turn it into a launchpad—backing ambition with investment, aligning national policies with European regulation, and ensuring Ireland’s voice is heard where the decisions are made.

 Aviation needs credible decarbonisation strategies. SAF is one of the few viable pathways available today. The question is not whether SAF will take off. The question is whether Ireland will help chart the course—or simply be along for the ride.