SCOTLAND’S largest airports are supporting a movement to establish green fuel production facilities at Grangemouth and St Fergus, which could lead to the creation of thousands of new employment opportunities.
A coalition known as Rise, which includes several of the UK’s top airlines, airports, and engineering firms, has initiated a commitment to promote Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in the UK. Their goal is to reduce emissions from air travel while simultaneously generating thousands of new jobs.
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airport bosses are among the backers of the campaign.
The aviation group said hat Scotland has the potential to lead the world in SAF production, with potential locations at Grangemouth and St Fergus.
Advocates for SAF production facilities believe that these sites could significantly enhance the Scottish economy, potentially adding £1.8 billion to it by 2030, while also creating numerous new positions within the sector.
Sustainable aviation fuels are synthetic substitutes for traditional fossil fuels, derived from renewable materials such as used cooking oils, vegetable fats and agricultural waste.
Andy Cliffe, chief executive of AGS Airports, which owns Aberdeen International Airport, said that Scotland needs to “ensure it realises this opportunity”.
He added: “SAF is a critical component of the aviation industry’s net zero carbon road map which shows that 10,000 new jobs could be created in a UK SAF industry by 2030, rising to 60,000 jobs and £10bn of GVA by 2050.
“We need to ensure we realise this opportunity and that Scotland benefits from these jobs.
“If we don’t, we will be reliant on an import led strategy which will see jobs and investment in SAF production flow into Europe and the US, both of which are already stealing a march due to incentive schemes. In Scotland, we have an opportunity to produce SAF at Grangemouth and at St Fergus in Aberdeenshire.”
A Rise spokesperson said: “The production of SAF is one of the fastest growing industries on the planet and demand will soon outstrip supply. The United States, the European Union and countries across the Middle East and Asia Pacific are all ahead of the field in bringing forward measures to attract SAF investors to their shores. We need to act now or risk losing out altogether.”
