Airbus Expands SAF Collaboration with Chinese Partners

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has reaffirmed its strong support for China's development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), branding the country as well placed to lead its development internationally.

Given China is Airbus' largest single-country market, it will strengthen local collaboration with suppliers to promote SAF use as a potential replacement for conventional jet fuel, which can achieve carbon reductions of around 80% over its life cycle using conventional jets.

Key Highlights:

• Airbus supports China’s efforts to build a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, citing the country’s strategic advantages.
• China’s available feedstock could support SAF production of up to 12 million metric tons annually by 2030.
• Airbus continues to deepen partnerships with China, expanding its A320 final assembly line in Tianjin.

Claire Kauffmann, Head of SAF and carbon dioxide removal at Airbus, added that China has useful advantages with plentiful feedstock, such as waste cooking oil and agricultural waste, rapidly-developing renewable energy infrastructure, and stable policy support. These drivers provide a good foundation for the sustainable aviation fuel industry to prosper in a sustainable way, she said.

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Meanwhile, Anglo-French Airbus is marking 40 years of operations in China by expanding its industrial footprint through a second final assembly line for the A320 in Tianjin due to be operational by early 2026. Airbus complimented China on the improvements in its business environment and embracing high-standard opening-up.

By 2030, it is calculated that raw materials available in China can enable annual SAF production of as much as 12 million metric tons.