‘Standardisation’ critical to unlocking credible SAF market

123Carbon has released a report, Comparative Analysis of Scope 3 SAF Certificates, which examines how SAF certificates are currently structured and used by airlines and fuel providers.
The analysis finds significant disparities in the quality, completeness, and transparency of certificate data, creating uncertainty for airlines, freight forwarders, and corporate customers seeking to integrate SAF into their climate strategies.
Scope 3 SAF Environmental Attribute Certificates (EAC) – supported through established Book and Claim systems – have emerged as a potential solution to accelerating the adoption and development of SAF, allowing companies to support SAF deployment and claim associated emissions reductions. However, their effectiveness depends on transparent data, standardised accounting rules, and robust verification.
To assess the current state of the market, the study analysed seven SAF certificates issued by five airlines and two fuel suppliers across Europe, North America, and Asia. Evaluated against the Smart Freight Centre’s Market-Based Measures framework, the certificates showed major inconsistencies.
Of the 22 key data points assessed, only three were consistently included across all certificates, while six were missing entirely. None of the certificates reviewed included a statement of additionality, and clear verification protocols to prevent double-counting were largely absent.
Jeroen van Heiningen, CEO and Founder of 123Carbon, said: “Credible SAF EACs are a critical mechanism for scaling sustainable aviation fuel, but the market will only grow if stakeholders can trust the integrity of the system.
Our analysis shows that current certificates vary significantly in the quality and completeness of their data, and in many cases lack the verification protocols needed to prevent double-counting.”
Christoph Wolff, CEO, Smart Freight Centre, added: "SFC supports the further strengthening of transparency and standardization of book & claim in aviation. This is one of the most powerful levers we have available to us to better connect supply to demand.”
Nicolas Duchêne, President & CEO of Normec Verifavia, said: "Normec Verifavia has been verifying SAF programs since the early days. As volumes scale, so does the risk of inconsistency and double-counting.
“The solution isn't complicated: standardise what goes into a certificate, standardise how it gets verified, and make registries talk to each other.”
The report concludes that stronger industry collaboration will be required to develop interoperable registries, standardized certificate formats, and consistent verification processes to ensure SAF certificates can effectively support aviation’s path to net-zero.
Read the full report here