Kenya Airways Plc is committed to proving that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can be generated within Africa, potentially offering a new financing pathway to mitigate its carbon emissions.
The Nairobi-based airline plans to operate four return flights between October 14 and October 21, predominantly using a SAF blend. The inaugural flight is scheduled for Tuesday, departing from Nairobi to Paris, where regulations require airlines to incorporate at least 2% SAF for all outbound flights. This flight will utilize a mix of jet fuel and a locally sourced biofuel made from drought-resistant crops such as croton, native to the area.
In 2023, Kenya Airways became the first airline in Africa to execute a long-haul flight powered by SAF sourced from Eni SpA in Italy. However, obtaining and transporting SAF from international sources poses significant financial challenges for African airlines, as this green fuel costs at least twice as much as conventional jet fuel.
Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, remarked that African operators could face costs up to five times higher than those of conventional jet fuel due to the limited local production. He highlighted that African travelers are often hesitant to pay extra for lower-carbon flights, asserting, “We need to explore ways to decrease SAF production costs and possibly secure subsidies from organizations or governments.”
Kenya Airways will also offer flights powered by SAF to Amsterdam, London, and Cape Town. In the European cities, the airline will refuel with SAF, but standard jet fuel will be used for flights departing from Cape Town. The airline aims to start with a 2% SAF integration across all flights, with plans to increase this to 10% by 2030.
“Once we establish the feasibility, we believe we can attract green funding,” stated Hellen Mwariri, the airline’s chief strategy and innovation officer.
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Local SAF production could create opportunities for financing from both domestic and international lenders, while also reducing costs associated with compliance to further regulations that will increase SAF usage over time. The International Air Transport Association has set a target for global aviation to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with SAF responsible for about 65% of emission reductions.
For its demonstration flights, Kenya Airways is utilizing SAF produced by Bleriot Group. Bleriot has secured a 15-year lease for 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) of land that was previously used by Base Titanium Ltd., a mining company that ceased operations due to depletion of resources. The land is not suited for food crop cultivation, making it an appropriate site for growing fuel crops, according to the company.
Bleriot aims to increase production from approximately 28 metric tons annually at this “prototype stage” to supply Kenya Airways, other African airlines, and eventually export SAF to Europe, according to CEO Serguei Poppeleer. The company is currently evaluating how much smaller the carbon footprint of its fuel is compared to conventional jet fuel.
The most economical feedstock for SAF production today is used cooking oil. However, in Africa, the collection of waste cooking oil remains inadequate, and where collection occurs, such as in South Africa, it is frequently exported to Europe for diesel production, noted Farai Chireshe, an energy and sustainability expert based in Cape Town.
This underutilization of used cooking oil has compelled African producers to grow more crops for fuel, raising concerns about its effect on food security. “The challenge has always been finding the right balance,” said Emile Arao, Director General of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
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Globally, the application of SAF remains minimal, representing only 0.3% of jet fuel demand in 2024. Supply more than doubled to 1 million metric tons that year, with demand anticipated to reach 0.6% by 2025, as per BloombergNEF. This rise is spurred by blending mandates in Europe and the UK, tax incentives in the US, and demand from corporate clients willing to shoulder higher fares to lessen their carbon footprint.
One incentive for African airlines to invest in SAF is the desire to stay ahead of regulations elsewhere, said Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. The largest airline on the continent entered into an agreement last year with Satarem America Inc. to produce SAF in Ethiopia’s Afar region.
“We must prepare the airline to use an increasing proportion of SAF-blended fuel from our home base,” stated Mesfin. “For airlines operating within Africa, this might not pose a significant issue until such requirements become mandatory” for regional routes, he added.
Without a regulatory framework in Africa governing SAF production and mandates necessitating its use by airlines, widespread adoption of this green fuel in the region seems improbable, commented Raphael Kuuchi, an aviation consultant in Accra and former IATA vice president for Africa.
“Due to the lack of demand, production remains limited and experimental,” he elaborated.
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