SABA launches SAFc Connect to boost SAF market liquidity

The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance announced May 28 the launch of SAFc Connect, a groundbreaking online marketplace that connects corporate buyers with vetted sellers of sustainable aviation fuel certificates.

This first-of-its-kind platform aims to streamline SAF procurement, improve transparency, and significantly increase market liquidity for cleaner aviation fuels.

The launch of SAFc Connect comes as corporate demand for sustainable aviation fuels is surging. However, SAFc Connect is open exclusively to SABA member organizations.

According to SABA statement on May 28, current members have expressed immediate demand for around $30 million worth of SAF certificates, with the total expected to grow sharply as companies aim to meet 2030 decarbonization targets.

The SAFc Connect platform builds on SABA's growing track record in facilitating high-volume, high-integrity SAF transactions.

In April 2024, SABA led the largest-ever collective procurement of SAF credits, with 15 global companies -- including Meta, Samsung Biologics, JPMorgan Chase, and Netflix -- committing nearly $200 million to purchase SAF certificates over five years.

The deals covered about 50 million gallons of SAF, abating around 500,000 mt of CO₂, equivalent to emissions from 3,000 trans-Atlantic flights between New York and London.

That landmark credit sale highlighted both the demand for and the scarcity of qualifying SAF.

While the collective procurement was a breakthrough, available SAF volumes still fell far short of total demand for 2024 and 2025, underscoring the need for more streamlined market access tools like SAFc Connect.

Platform for Scalable, High-Integrity SAF Transactions

SAFc Connect offers a curated interface for SABA members to access real-time SAF credit offers from leading providers such as Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Valero, Targray, Future Energy Global, and International Airlines Group (IAG).

Each listing includes key details on carbon intensity, sustainability certifications, pricing, feedstock types, and contract terms, and is subject to strict confidentiality and vetting protocols.

"To meet the decarbonization goals for the aviation sector, we need to encourage both near- and long-term investment into SAF," said Kim Carnahan, CEO of the Center for Green Market Activation and Head of the SABA Secretariat. "SAFc Connect gives participants a continuous SAF procurement opportunity that progresses climate goals now, while strengthening the foundations of the SAF market for future growth."

The platform relies on SABA's book-and-claim system, which allows buyers to invest in the emissions-reduction benefits of SAF -- even if the fuel itself is not used on their flights -- thereby enabling Scope 3 emissions reductions in corporate climate disclosures.

The launch of SAFc Connect is the latest step in SABA's efforts to mature the SAF market ecosystem.

In December 2023, SABA co-founders RMI and the Environmental Defense Fund launched a dedicated SAF certificate registry, which tracks certificate ownership and ensures alignment with robust sustainability standards.

SABA has facilitated over $400 million in SAF credit demand since 2021, helping to fund tens of millions of gallons of SAF and supporting final investment decisions for future production.