Virgin Australia and Boeing have jointly released a new report prepared by independent advisory firm Pollination, exploring the opportunities and challenges of implementing an International Book and Claim system for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) accounting.
The report, unveiled at an industry event hosted in collaboration with the University of New South Wales’ Decarbonisation Innovation Hub, delves into the current policy limitations around SAF and outlines key considerations for adopting alternative accounting models such as Book and Claim.
Book and Claim is a framework that decouples the environmental benefits of SAF from its physical distribution. This allows airlines to purchase and claim the emissions reductions from SAF without needing to transport or store the actual fuel, lowering logistics costs and avoiding unnecessary carbon emissions associated with fuel movement.
The system presents a promising opportunity for Australia, which has strong potential as a SAF producer due to its abundant feedstock resources. By embracing Book and Claim, Australia could not only support domestic decarbonisation but also export environmental benefits to regions with limited SAF production, stimulating economic growth through aggregated demand across global markets.
Currently, Australia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting standards only recognise emissions reductions from SAF combusted within the country. There is no provision for accounting SAF purchased by Australian carriers but used elsewhere—a gap that the Book and Claim model could help address.
Virgin Australia’s General Manager of Sustainability, Fiona Walmsley, said the report was part of a broader initiative to drive the aviation sector’s transition to net zero emissions by 2050.
“In partnership with Boeing and the NSW Powerfuels including Hydrogen Network, we’re proud to bring together industry and academia to present new research supporting aviation’s decarbonisation journey,” she said.
“SAF is the most vital lever for decarbonising aviation, but we need to scale up production and use dramatically to meet our net zero goals. This report shows how a Book and Claim approach could enable Australian airlines to contribute to global decarbonisation efforts even before local SAF production ramps up.”
She added that such a system would help reduce costs and environmental drawbacks tied to the physical movement of SAF.
Boeing’s Sustainability Lead for Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, Dr Kimberly Camrass, echoed the importance of a global approach.
“Book and Claim is essential for scaling SAF adoption worldwide. It breaks down regional limitations and allows carriers in areas without SAF infrastructure to participate in emissions reductions. This is critical to building a truly global SAF market,” Dr Camrass said.
She also stressed the importance of coordinated efforts between governments and industry, underpinned by cutting-edge research like that conducted by the NSW Powerfuels including Hydrogen Network.
