The European Commission has approved two Dutch funding schemes worth a combined €290 million. The schemes will support sustainable aviation fuel production in the Netherlands.
The approval falls under EU state aid rules. It supports the goals of the Clean Industrial Deal and the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, both aimed at boosting SAF supply and cutting aviation emissions.
The two schemes work at different project stages. One covers investment aid for SAF production. The other funds preparatory work, including front-end engineering design studies. Together, they’re expected to support projects producing around 285,000 tonnes of SAF per year. That’s roughly equivalent to 350 million litres of kerosene, or fuel for about 3,500 intercontinental flights.
Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The process is designed to be objective, transparent and non-discriminatory.
Two technology pathways will receive support. One is advanced bio-SAF made without the Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids process. The other is synthetic aviation fuel, known as e-SAF. The Netherlands says backing both will encourage technological diversity as the market matures.
Support will come as direct grants, paid once project milestones are met. The schemes will run from 2027 through 2031, with up to five funding rounds depending on available budget. Producers must meet EU sustainability criteria for advanced biofuels or renewable fuels of non-biological origin.
The Commission assessed the schemes against several criteria. It found they were necessary to support SAF development and unlikely to happen without public funding. It also confirmed the schemes include safeguards to limit distortion of competition within the EU.
The approval builds on the EU’s broader push for renewable energy. Amended targets call for renewables to make up at least 42.5 percent of the EU’s energy consumption by 2030, with an ambition of reaching 45 percent.
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