Sustainable aviation fuels: strategic opportunity for the Colombian energy sector

In a country with complex geography and territorial inequalities, air transport ensures the connectivity of millions of passengers and tons of cargo each year, facilitates tourism, strengthens exports, and contributes 4.31% of the national Gross Domestic Product, generating more than 921 thousand jobs in its value chain.

Aviation is a strategic pillar for Colombia. However, this development engine faces a crucial challenge: reducing its carbon emissions and moving towards the goal of net zero emissions by 2050, a commitment made by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and supported by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This transition also represents an unprecedented opportunity for the Colombian hydrocarbons industry.

Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) are advanced fuels capable of reducing CO2 emissions by up to 80% over their life cycle, compared to conventional fossil fuel. Their production can come from agricultural waste, used oils, biomass, or even carbon capture technologies, always under strict sustainability criteria defined by ICAO and endorsed by internationally recognized certification programs.

Unlike other sectors, aviation does not yet have large-scale technological alternatives to replace liquid fuel. Therefore, SAF has established itself as the most important instrument to achieve the net zero emissions goal in air transport by 2050.

Colombia must focus on creating a conducive ecosystem that attracts investment, promotes local production, and relies on tax incentive mechanisms.

Positioning of the SAF production industry in Colombia.

IATA, which represents nearly 350 airlines responsible for 80% of global air traffic, has expressed its firm support for the development of SAF and warns that this process must be carried out under conditions of competitiveness and economic realism.

This means that before setting production or consumption targets, Colombia must have a specific regulatory framework for this new type of fuel, endorse and promote the technologies by which raw materials are processed, and finally, adopt international standards that allow the country to compete commercially with other nations. If not done in a planned manner, fuel costs could rise abruptly, affecting connectivity and the viability of sensitive routes such as those serving the Amazon, the Pacific, or the Orinoquía.

IATA's vision is clear: Colombia must focus on creating a conducive ecosystem that attracts investment, promotes local production, and relies on tax incentive mechanisms. Among the proposals are the exemption of VAT on the proportion of SAF used by airlines and the exclusion of the carbon tax when using fuels that meet international emission reduction criteria.

Fiscal and regulatory measures must recognize that aviation is, in many cases, the only access route to remote regions. Preserving this connectivity is essential not only for the economy but also for the social and territorial cohesion of the country.

Future perspectives for Colombia

The country has the opportunity to become a regional benchmark in air sustainability. Its wealth in raw materials, previous experience in terrestrial biofuels, and reindustrialization policies open a space to develop a modern, efficient, and open supply chain that combines national production with access to international sources.

Furthermore, Colombia can position itself as an important market for SAF production, as long as it adopts international technical standards such as ASTM D7566 and robust traceability systems under recognized models, such as Book & Claim, to ensure transparency in emissions accounting.

The transition, however, must be fair and inclusive. Fiscal and regulatory measures should recognize that aviation is, in many cases, the only access route to remote regions. Preserving this connectivity is essential not only for the economy but also for the social and territorial cohesion of the country. Likewise, maintaining international connectivity is key to ensuring global integration, trade exchange, and sustainable development.

Call for joint action

IATA has reiterated its willingness to collaborate with the Colombian government and private actors—including companies in the hydrocarbons sector, refiners, and fuel distributors—to design a regulatory framework that combines operational safety, environmental sustainability, and economic competitiveness.

The challenge is not minor: it is about transforming the energy matrix of air transport without sacrificing the connectivity that supports national development, and doing so by leveraging the installed capacities of the Colombian energy sector.

With strategic vision and balanced technical public policies, Colombia can not only meet its international sustainability commitments but also lead in Latin America the development of sustainable aviation fuels, consolidating its role as a key player in the global transition towards a net-zero emissions future by 2050.

By: International Air Transport Association (IATA)