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FlyingGreen FuellingDecarb: Enabling the transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and hydrogen

7 July 2025

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EUROCONTROL is collaborating closely with researchers, aviation experts and others to provide its state-of-the art tools and services designed to support the aviation sector's transition to sustainable energy. Hosted on EUROCONTROL's sustainability services platform FlyingGreen, the services under FuellingDecarb assess the production needs for sustainable fuels, including Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), hydrogen and electricity, aiding decision-makers in making informed choices. As part of our FlyingGreen special edition of EUROCONTROL's Aviation Sustainability Briefing, Stephen DOOLEY, Professor in Energy Science, Trinity College Dublin shared his view on the benefits of the FuellingDecarb pillar services:

“The services under FlyingGreen's Fuelling Decarb pillar are very exciting because they translate the careful and detailed work of researchers and scientists into a form easily accessible by the public, by investors, by policy makers or anyone else who might have an interest in understanding or estimating how sustainable aviation fuels will get deployed. The tool provides calculations on SAF cost, SAF scale of supply and SAF greenhouse gas sustainability at any point into the 2050 horizon, that have all been verified by scientists. It is a reliable source of evidenced based analysis of SAF.”

Professor in Energy Science,

Trinity College Dublin

FuellingDecarb offers a suite of tools and resources tailored to assist aviation stakeholders, public authorities and policy decision makers in adopting sustainable fuel alternatives on the 2025, 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050 horizons:

Green fuels calculator: By supporting the evaluation of the SAF, hydrogen and electricity production needs considering the feedstocks and the ReFuelEU mandate, this tool enables users to assess the environmental and economic impact of various fuel options, facilitating informed decisions on fuel selection.
Market gap analysis: By comparing current production levels with projected needs, this feature identifies gaps in SAF, hydrogen and electricity availability, guiding investment and policy decisions.
Infrastructure estimator: Based on the calculated energy requirements for SAF production, the tool estimates the necessary electricity infrastructure.
SAF Map: Displays policies and SAF availability at ECAC airports. SAF news corner: Serves as a resource hub offering guidance, indicators, policies, FAQs and news related to latest developments and regulations in the industry.

“As the world increasingly faces the consequences of global warming, the aviation sector has struggled to mitigate its climate impact. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) offer a promising solution, yet policymakers still lack reliable methods to evaluate various scenarios for effective decision-making. This is where the FuellingDecarb pillar plays a crucial role—bridging the gap between cutting-edge scientific advancements and their practical application in policy- making. By facilitating this connection, FuellingDecarb accelerates the adoption of SAF, equipping policymakers and the public with the necessary tools to drive informed climate action. It stands as a strong example of how European institutions are supporting policymakers in refining their strategies toward climate neutrality, grounded in the latest scientific data.”

Chair of Sustainable Aircraft Propulsion Aerospace Engineering,

TU Delft

The latest update to FuellingDecarb introduces several enhancements aimed at improving user experience and functionality:

SAF Plants: Estimate the number of required SAF plant installations.
Hydrogen for Aircraft: Drill down to assess water requirements, electrolyser efficiencies, losses during liquefaction, transport, and storage of hydrogen.
Electricity Infrastructure Cost: Calculate the cost of the electricity infrastructure needed to produce SAF and hydrogen - based on production volumes and required deployment of solar panels, wind turbines (onshore/ offshore), or nuclear reactors.
SAF and Hydrogen Cost: Estimate the production cost of bio-SAF and synthetic SAF by considering expenses for feedstock, electricity, gas, water, hydrogen, CO₂, CapEx, OpEx, as well as feedstock transport and SAF distribution (truck, pipeline, shipping).
Electricity Sourcing: Allow users to choose between national grid electricity or a custom mix of renewable, nuclear, and fossil-based power to evaluate deployment costs, SAF pricing, and associated greenhouse gas savings.

An airport, fuel producer, or state assesses the needs for bio-based and synthetic SAF, hydrogen, and electricity needed locally for all aircraft departures.
A state evaluates whether there will be sufficient feedstock to produce the necessary SAF to meet demand.
An electricity provider or government estimates the investments and energy required for the production of these sustainable fuels.
A state plans investments in renewable or low- carbon power plants to supply the required electricity.

RED rules incorporation: The greenhouse gas savings calculation will be more comprehensive by incorporating RED rules.
Investment costs of SAF plant: Calculations of both the total and individual investment costs of the SAF plant will be made available.
SAF cost and minimum selling price breakdown: The SAF cost and minimum selling price will be visually presented detailing expenses for transport, feedstock, electricity, gas, water, hydrogen, CO₂, CapEx, and OpEx, along with feedstock and SAF distribution; additionally, promising alternative SAF production pathways will be available.