The race to scale sustainable aviation fuel is no longer only about airline demand. It is increasingly about which countries can turn feedstock, energy policy, refining capacity and logistics infrastructure into a functioning SAF market. Brazil is emerging as one of the strongest candidates. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted Brazil’s opportunity to become a SAF powerhouse as its 82nd Annual General Meeting gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This would make Brazil a key player in air transport’s decarbonization, strengthen energy security, and grow Brazil’s economy.
Key points to note include:
“Brazil has all the ingredients to be a global SAF powerhouse. It has one of the cleanest electricity mixes in the world as well as abundant feedstock. Moreover, as the second-largest producer of liquid biofuels in the world, the country benefits from deep expertise and developed infrastructure. Brazil has a real opportunity to be a global leader in aviation’s decarbonization. Embracing this opportunity will create jobs, reduce dependence on foreign fossil fuels, build new energy and agriculture industries, and grow the economy. With the right policies implemented in the right order, Brazil is ready to jump-start the market,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
In addition to feedstock availability, Brazil’s experience in ethanol production, as well as its established refining base, give the country several competitive advantages. Together, this creates a strong foundation for scaling HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) and other advanced SAF pathways, particularly ethanol-to-jet, and it could enable Brazil to become a net exporter of SAF.
The economic benefits could be transformational. New industries and markets would emerge across a value chain that would span agriculture and feedstock development, logistics, infrastructure, refining, advanced fuel production, and new export products. This would support jobs, energy security and independence, improved soils, enhanced natural capital, and strengthened local communities.
SAF production in Brazil remains at an early stage. Achieving scale will require:
“Brazil has many advantages—both in terms of natural resources and vast experience—that should give the country a world-leading role in SAF markets. The scale of Brazil’s potential is such that the economic rewards could be transformative. Applying tried and tested policies in the right order of sequence is necessary to achieve scale and the price reductions that come with it, but leapfrogging the building of supply chains and going straight for mandates will not. Aligning policies with global standards and programs such as CORSIA will allow Brazil to make the most of its great potential,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.
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Author: Anastasiya Simsek
