ALIGHT Policy Maker Workshop:
“Towards Smart and Sustainable Airports in 2050”

Observation 1​

Limited SAF Availability Remains a Bottleneck Despite Policy & Investment Momentum​

• Strong policy and investment momentum around SAF and green airport infrastructure is evident, yet practical fuel access remains limited.​
• Airports see SAF as critical to meeting net-zero targets, but supply chain constraints hinder broader implementation.​
• New technologies like e-SAF, hydrogen, and electric propulsion are emerging, offering complementary long- and short-haul solutions.​

Recommendations

Based on the observation, the following

• Develop a harmonised aviation decarbonisation strategy that aligns long-haul SAF use with short-haul innovation (e.g., hydrogen, electric aircraft), ensuring all propulsion pathways are integrated and supported in forthcoming policy and funding frameworks.​
• Accelerate SAF production from multiple pathways by recognising (e-)SAF as a strategic pillar for aviation decarbonisation within forthcoming policy and funding frameworks (e.g., STIP, Clean Industrial Deal, Innovation Fund, Joint Undertaking, Horizon Europe).​
• De-risk SAF investments and support early movers across the value chain, e.g. by:​
• Market-based mechanisms like Book & Claim​
• A government-backed market intermediary to offer long-term purchase contracts ​
• Bridging mechanisms to help pioneering projects reach financial close​
• Public safeguards to mitigate project-on-project and performance risks​

Observation 2​

Airports impact SAF scale-up indirectly through supporting roles and scope 3 accounting​

• Airports are not directly embedded in the SAF value chain, limiting their ability to promote, claim, or benefit from SAF contributions.​
• Inconsistent understanding of SAF sustainability, certification, and communication hampers alignment and action.​
• Unclear Scope 3 emissions accounting guidance limits airports’ ability to credibly attribute SAF use to their decarbonisation efforts, reducing incentives for airport-level SAF adoption and hindering broader scale-up.​
  

Recommendations

Based on the observation, the following

• Enable credible SAF reporting through Scope 3 alignment: Promote alignment between EU sustainability reporting rules (e.g., CSRD) and relevant airport sustainability reporting frameworks (such es GHG Protocol, ACA) and provide guidance to support consistent implementation across member states. ​
• Fund R&D and capacity-building to raise awareness of how airports enable SAF scale-up in coordination with other actors such as airlines, SAF producers, and corporate buyers. Build on projects like ALIGHT to deliver shared training and communication tools. ​
• Develop EU-endorsed guidance on how airports can indirectly enable SAF adoption. Create an EU framework outlining how airports can support SAF through infrastructure planning, fueling logistics, and stakeholder coordination. ​

Observation 3​

Airport Sustainability Requires Broader, Integrated Policy Approaches​

• Over the course of the project, an understanding emerged that airport sustainability is multi-dimensional, encompassing not only GHG reductions but also SAF availability, non-CO₂ effects, biodiversity, resilience, and social inclusion. Stakeholders must reach a consensus on the scope and definition of sustainability.​
• Nine sustainability pillars identified during the Bold Vision Workshop reflect the growing complexity and interconnectedness of airport challenges.​
• A siloed approach limits impact, highlighting the need for a more integrated, cross-cutting framework to guide airport sustainability policy and planning.​​

Recommendations

Based on the observation, the following

• Make sustainability a strategic foundation of airport and aviation policy: Expand the definition of airport sustainability in EU strategies beyond GHG emissions, encompassing e.g., biodiversity, non-CO₂ impacts, water use, and social inclusion and ensure these factors are embedded in funding criteria, planning frameworks, and regulatory guidance.​
• Align global and EU sustainability frameworks: Promote the integration of ICAO standards (e.g. CORSIA) with EU-level initiatives, and develop harmonized sustainability indicators that address both environmental and social pillars to ensure consistent, comprehensive implementation across Member States.​
• Foster structured cross-sector collaboration: Facilitate joint initiatives involving airports, airlines, SAF producers, and regulators to co-develop and pilot sustainability solutions — with a focus on climate resilience, biodiversity, and equity — supported by EU funding and governance mechanisms.

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Observation 4

Sustainable Aviation Fuels​

• SAF offer potential beyond the life-cycle CO2 reduction

• High blends of SAF are required to maximize these added values

• Allocating SAF to airports with LAQ issues or high contrail risk could maximize environmental benefits

• Segregated aviation fuel supply creates significant challenges and costs for fueling infrastructure.

Recommendations

Based on the observation, the following

• Allow for a targeted use of SAF in regulations (ReFuelEU flexibility mechanism)

• Investigate the costs and benefits of lowering aromatic limits in conventional fuel through collaborative industry and research projects.

• Enhance Data Collection and Monitoring for non-CO2 emissions of aviation.

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Observation 5

Innovation in airports in general

• Concerns about battery energy systems especially on fire safety

• Concerns that existing safety procedures can be a barrier for recharging of electric aircrafts or refuelling of hydrogen or hybrid aircrafts. Concerns that safety requirements for handling different fuel types can limit the opportunities for hybrid aircraft solutions.

• Partnerships are necessary and valuable when working with
  innovation in airports

Recommendations

Based on the observation, the following

• Support airports with clear rules/standards/procedures to enhance
  their opportunity to implement batteries and handle them safely and ensures that other airport safety requirements will not be a barrier.

• Ensure that existing safety procedures are updated and do not limit opportunities for recharging/refuelling. Ensure safety guidelines allows for coexistences of different aircraft types/propellants incl. hybrid aircrafts.

• Encourage new international partnerships to support the sustainable
  transition of airports.
  

Observation 6

Airport Responsibility

• Electricity demand in airports is expected to increase significantly,
  which means large investments by the airport and upgrades of upstream public grid will be needed

• Investments in projects related to sustainable development are not
  necessarily supporting the daily business and operation. Market development is unsure.

• Concerns regarding safety aspects, security, wildlife and bird control
  on airside areas can limit the use of land

Recommendations

Based on the observation, the following

• Support airport and upstream grid investments and ensure that DSOs and TSOs entities have the freedom to invest

• Support and calls for incentive programs either on EU-level or locally to invest in smart energy

• Ensure that airports are obliged to consider how the land be utilised in the best way to support the green transition, the local environment and/or biodiversity.

Observation 7

Smoothen Approval Processes

• Approval processes for photo voltaic and battery energy storage projects are complex, time consuming and involves many different authorities.

• Battery safety requirements are proprietary and concerns regarding
  fire risk are high. Also, grid connection requirements are complex and based on national regulation.

• Airports are uncertain on which kind of infrastructure they shall invest in to prepare for future aircraft types. Moreover, there is still a long road until specialized eGSEs are implemented widely in the airport, even though the market is rapidly developing.

Recommendations

Based on the observation, the following

• It is recommended that the EC ensures that this process is transparent and as smooth as possible

• Clear regulations, industrial standards or guidelines are needed.

• It is recommended to be aware of not applying standards that can limit the development and implementation of new types of eGSEs and to apply already existing standards for charging technologies(CCS and M both for eGSE and ePlanes when applicable