INTERVIEW: Boeing eyes Asia as SAF growth engine, pushes for policy certainty: sustainability VP

As the global aviation industry sharpens its focus on decarbonization, Boeing sees the Asia-Pacific region not only as a future air travel growth hotspot but also as a critical engine for sustainable aviation fuel production — provided the right policies and financing mechanisms fall into place.

In an interview with Platts, Ryan Faucett, Boeing's vice president of environmental sustainability, said the aerospace giant is stepping up efforts to connect fragmented parts of the SAF value chain from biomass feedstock sourcing to project financing and policy alignment especially across Southeast and South Asia.

"Aviation in Asia Pacific is growing at a rate of 7% in some sub-regions, far outpacing global averages," Faucett said. "But that growth will be unsustainable without credible decarbonization pathways. SAF is the most viable near-term lever, and Boeing's role is to ensure the aircraft is not the constraint — while helping align supply, policy, and adoption."

The July 3 interview was on the sidelines of the MyAERO Sustainable Aviation Symposium in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Connecting policy to supply

Boeing has supported several SAF roadmaps across the region, including with the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials in Southeast Asia and with Australia's CSIRO, helping policymakers understand feedstock potential and laying the groundwork for investment.

But while the technical potential is high — Asia boasts abundant agricultural residues like rice husks and palm waste — the enabling policy environment remains inconsistent.

Faucett singled out Singapore's recently launched SAF levy as a promising model. The fixed per-passenger charge, set to begin in 2026 and designed to fund SAF procurement centrally, offers airlines price certainty and avoids the price volatility risks of the SAF market.

"The transparency and simplicity of Singapore's levy is what makes it work," Faucett said. "Airlines can plan around it. It distributes costs equitably and shields them from SAF price swings — which is what's missing in many markets."

He emphasized that while SAF mandates or targets are useful, they must be coupled with financing instruments and demand-side support — a lesson emerging from the EU's RefuelEU and US Inflation Reduction Act frameworks.

Financing still a bottleneck

Beyond policy, financing remains a major barrier for SAF developers in Asia, many of whom are still navigating complex certification and offtake risks.

To help bridge that gap, Boeing has been hosting SAF finance roundtables in the region, bringing together banks, project developers, and government stakeholders to unlock capital flows. Faucett pointed to Boeing's investment in Wagner Sustainable Fuels in Australia as a proof of concept.

"We're trying to de-risk early movers. If Boeing can step in with support, that draws in other financing," he said.

While current commercial aircraft are certified for SAF blends of up to 50%, Boeing has committed to making all its new aircraft capable of flying on 100% SAF by the end of the decade. The company is working with engine OEMs and Airbus through the International Aviation Environment Group to harmonize standards and enable uniform performance.

"This isn't just about futureproofing the fleet," said Faucett. "It's about ensuring that when SAF is finally available in larger volumes, there are no downstream bottlenecks in utilization."

Faucett also highlighted a less-discussed but crucial frontier: SAF formulations that are "drop-in" ready at 100% for today's aircraft — something he believes needs more attention from fuel producers.

Asia's SAF potential, policy risks

Boeing estimates that up to 60%-70% of Asia-Pacific's jet fuel demand could be met by SAF by 2050, thanks to its feedstock abundance. But fragmentation in policy design and sustainability certification is already creating market distortions.

"There's a real risk of SAF produced in one country being penalized when supplied to another because of incompatible life cycle analysis (LCA) frameworks or certification costs," Faucett noted. "Harmonization of standards like CORSIA, and global book-and-claim systems, are critical."

He advised new producers in Asia to ensure they meet CORSIA sustainability criteria via certifications like RSB or ISCC — positioning them for global acceptance and value capture.

Hydrogen, electric — or SAF first?

Boeing is also investing in next-generation technologies, including hydrogen and electric aircraft. But Faucett emphasized that, due to technological maturity and scalability, SAF will remain the primary decarbonization pathway for the next few decades.

"SAF is the 'have-to' in our strategy. Hydrogen and electric are 'and-also' options that will take time to scale, especially for larger aircraft," he said.

According to Boeing's Cascade modeling tool, 73% of aviation emissions come from medium- and long-haul flights — segments where electrification is not yet viable. Still, Faucett sees hybrid electric systems and small-scale hydrogen use playing a complementary role, particularly in short-haul or regional routes post-2040.

Risk of doing nothing

Faucett said more effort needs to go into quantifying the costs of inaction.

"Too often we focus only on the cost of SAF," he said. "But the cost of doing nothing — especially in tourism-dependent economies — is real. If travelers begin to avoid destinations seen as lagging in climate action, that hits bottom lines."

Boeing is already working with Air New Zealand on models that integrate tourism risk into SAF investment planning.

"This is where the conversation needs to go next — value and resilience, not just price parity," he said.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy assessed the Asia SAF-jet fuel spread at $1,101.44/mt July 9 up $0.86/mt day on day.