The International Air Transport Association, the organization representing more than 300 airlines from around the world, is holding its annual meeting this week in New Delhi, India.

Safety, security, the impact of world politics on the aviation industry and many other issues are on the agenda. And so is a status report on whether or not there will ever be enough Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to make it possible for the global airline industry to meet its promised goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

New technologies and more efficient aircraft are part of the SAF picture.

But a key piece of the plan is having enough sustainable aviation fuel, which can be made with everything from used cooking oil and agricultural waste to non-recyclable garbage.

SAF can be mixed with traditional jet fuel in existing aircraft engines. And airlines say they’re willing to buy and use all the SAF that’s available.

But for a variety of reasons, including the fact that SAF costs more than traditional jet fuel, there’s just not enough SAF being created.

IATA says SAF production is expected to reach 2 million tons, or 0.7% of airlines’ total fuel consumption in 2025.

But Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, says that’s just not enough and that the industry may need to re-evaluate its 2050 net-zero goal.

“The pace of progress in ramping up production and gaining efficiencies to reduce costs must accelerate,” he said.

Pittsburgh Int’l Airport may be able to help

While some promising SAF projects are underway around the world, Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) recently announced that it is working with Avina Synthetic Aviation Fuel to develop the first on-airport sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility.

Avina will construct an onsite SAF facility that is expected to produce over 100 million gallons of SAF annually.

That will be a drop in the bucket of what’s needed. But it will help.