By Simba Matake
HARARE – Zimbabwe has received a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Business Implementation Study Report from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), paving the way for the development of a domestic green jet fuel industry.
The report was handed over to the Government on 14 October 2024, with the process facilitated by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and supported financially and technically by the United Kingdom Government’s International Aviation Climate Ambition (IACA) programme.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry, the study builds on Zimbabwe’s earlier work on sustainable aviation fuel and supports the country’s commitment to the global goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050.
The initiative also builds on Zimbabwe’s State Action Plan on CO2 emissions, which identified sustainable aviation fuel as a key measure for reducing emissions in line with ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
The latest report follows a Zimbabwe SAF Feasibility Study conducted in November 2023, which identified potential feedstocks, sustainability criteria and production technologies. The new study develops these findings into a business case, implementation roadmap and investment framework for local production.
“This is a game-changing opportunity to build on Zimbabwe’s existing bio-fuels and ethanol capabilities, particularly through the Alcohol-to-Jet pathway,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry said the report provided a foundation for translating the country’s sustainable aviation fuel potential into a practical implementation strategy.
It said the study would help guide decisions on the development of local production capacity, investment opportunities and the infrastructure required to establish a viable SAF industry.
Government plans to operationalise the SAF Inter-Ministerial Committee to review and prioritise the study’s recommendations and develop a costed, time-bound national roadmap for implementing the initiative.
“The Committee will review and prioritise the Study’s findings and develop a clear, costed and time-bound national SAF roadmap,” the Ministry said.
The roadmap will address policy and regulatory frameworks, institutional arrangements, investment infrastructure, financing, technology, market development and technical requirements.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development will lead the process, including consultations with national and regional stakeholders.
The Ministry said the recommendations would be assessed based on economic viability, environmental sustainability, fuel productivity and energy security to ensure that the proposed interventions were practical and sustainable.
The study also aligns with the National Development Strategy 1 (2021–2025), which prioritised inclusive economic growth, structural transformation, infrastructure development, climate resilience, job creation, technology and human capital development.
The Ministry said the initiative supported Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 ambition of becoming a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society.
It added that establishing a domestic sustainable aviation fuel value chain could increase the value of locally available feedstocks, attract investment and create employment opportunities across agriculture, logistics, engineering and fuel production.
A local SAF industry could also strengthen technical skills and contribute to reducing lifecycle emissions from aviation, the Ministry said.
The Ministry stressed that the handover of the report marked the beginning of the implementation phase rather than the conclusion of the programme.
“Immediate priorities include technical coordination, formalisation of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, developing the national roadmap, addressing policy and regulatory requirements, establishing financing and investment mechanisms, and developing a viable business model for SAF production,” the Ministry said.
It said the implementation process would be led by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), project consultants and other stakeholders.