The European Commission should set ambitious targets for e-kerosene, a green synthetic fuel, when it proposes the world’s first sustainable jet fuel law this month, environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), Lufthansa, the Global Alliance Powerfuels, pilots’ representatives, and other aviation industry and energy players have said.

The group, which also includes Schiphol and Copenhagen airports and e-fuel suppliers, said a clear market signal for making e-kerosene from green hydrogen would help put aviation on a path to sustainability.

In a public letter, they call for a target for the use of e-kerosene under the new ReFuel EU law commencing in 2027 at 0.5% to 1% delivered to the EU market. The mandate could potentially rise to 2.5% in 2030, as long as the sustainability of such a target can be assured, they specify.

Important to raising the ambition of a mandate is the careful consideration of measures to avoid competitive distortion to the disadvantage of European airlines. These measures shall be introduced simultaneously with the mandate and their development should begin now.

E-kerosene can immediately and sustainably start reducing aviation's climate impact without any changes to the way aircraft operate. The EU should provide investors with an unambiguous signal that there will be a growing market for e-kerosene in Europe while at the same time put in place measures to avoid competitive distortion to the disadvantage of European airlines.

—Matteo Mirolo, aviation policy officer at T&E

The Commission is expected to propose its ReFuelEU Aviation legislation on 14 July.