24. September 2025
We are flying like never before. According to Drivkraft Danmark, 1.2 billion litres of conventional aviation fuel were used in Denmark in 2024, which is the highest level since 2019. This is despite the fact that modern aircraft use slightly less fuel per passenger and the EU has introduced requirements to mix more sustainable fuel into the tanks. Consequently, there is a great need for the aviation industry to develop and implement climate friendly alternatives.
To support the industry's transition, Danish Standards, in collaboration with 37 European stakeholders, has developed a so-called CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA), which has just been published and is available for free download. With this document a common terminology for green aviation fuels has been established for the first time, and it covers the entire value chain from production to fuelling. The aim is to ensure that all stakeholders build on the same understanding, making it easier to integrate more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into existing logistics and supply chains – without compromising safety, efficiency or the economy.
- This document will help improve transparency, promote investment and reduce barriers to upscaling SAF, strengthening Europe's competitiveness, creating more job opportunities, and delivering concrete progress towards a climate-neutral aviation industry, says Senior Consultant at Danish Standards, Birgitte Ostertag, who is one of the driving forces behind the project.
The document contains both technical reference standards and an overview of the regulatory framework in Europe. It provides a comprehensive overview of the current SAF landscape, defines key concepts and terms, outlines the legal context of the EU, and sustainability benefits, and it maps relevant existing standards across the entire value chain. The document will also pave the way for mapping other e-fuels through a value chain approach to ensure robust implementation.
The work is part of the EU Horizon 2020 project "ALIGHT", where Copenhagen Airport acts as a beacon airport. Concrete solutions scalable to the rest of Europe are tested here. The project aims to make the aviation sector carbon-neutral by 2050.
Key results from the ALIGHT project will be presented on 1 October at a final conference at Copenhagen Airport, where all interested parties are welcome to join. Registration can be done via the project website here:
Feel free to contact Birgitte Ostertag if you want to know more.
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