Behind the Apparent Consensus on E-fuels: Major Structural Weaknesses

The POWER CO₂ Days! | September 7–9, 2026 | Lyon, France

Day 3: Visions of the Field

We are thrilled to welcome Xavier Arnauld de Sartre for a thought-provoking Keynote (in collaboration with Brice Auvet).

Promoted heavily by industrial and regulatory bodies, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) are often presented as the definitive technical solution for decarbonizing aviation. Because they generate very little debate in public spheres—such as the press, NGOs, and social media—they enjoy the image of being a consensus solution.

However, beneath this apparent consensus lie strong structural weaknesses.

While current opposition is mainly local (focusing on the water, timber, and energy requirements of specific plants), this pushback has significant potential to become widespread. During his presentation, Xavier will dissect the three major vulnerabilities of SAFs: their political support is primarily technocratic without real public debate; the technology relies on numerous promises that complicate industrial scale-up; and the core issue of the aviation industry's overall impact remains unaddressed.

Ultimately, there is a very high likelihood that critics will emerge framing SAFs as a greenwashing strategy meant to save the aviation industry. If the local impacts of deploying these technologies prove too severe and fall disproportionately on vulnerable communities, the very feasibility of SAFs will be called into question.

Don't miss this crucial conversation on the intersection of technology, controversies, and energy justice.

#Aviation #EFuels #SAF #SocialAcceptance #EnergyJustice #ClimateAction #GreenTech #Sustainability