2025 Winner: Transformational impact through SAF
China Airlines - Accelerating Taiwan’s SAF Ecosystem through Cross-Industry Collaboration and Local Production Leadership
In Taiwan, the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has historically been limited by fragmented policy frameworks, an underdeveloped supply chain, and limited market readiness. Recognizing that SAF adoption would not progress organically, China Airlines took on a broader role, acting not only as an early adopter, but as a catalyst for ecosystem development.
Since 2017, the airline has actively led efforts to move SAF from concept to reality, convening stakeholders across government, academia, and the energy sector to establish the foundations of a national SAF ecosystem. Through a combination of early deployment, strategic procurement, and cross-industry collaboration, China Airlines has helped build a fully connected value chain, spanning policy alignment, certification standards, corporate partnerships, and domestic fuel production.
Operational Deployment of SAF in Commercial and Delivery Flights
To move beyond limited trials, China Airlines focused on integrating SAF into real operations across its network.
The airline operated Taiwan’s first commercial flights using a 40% SAF blend, the highest in the country to date, including routes such as Taipei to Bangkok (featured as a 2025 Aviation Challenge showcase flight), Kaohsiung to Bangkok, and Taipei Songshan to Tokyo Haneda. At the same time, SAF usage was expanded from long-haul delivery flights into scheduled passenger operations.
By embedding SAF across delivery flights, scheduled routes, and corporate travel programs, China Airlines demonstrated that SAF can function within standard airline operations rather than remaining limited to isolated pilot initiatives. This transition from experimentation to operational integration represents an important step in normalizing SAF use across commercial aviation and shows how lower-emission fuel solutions can be implemented within existing systems today.
Supply Development through Strategic Procurement and Offtake Agreements
Recognizing that supply constraints are one of the biggest barriers to SAF adoption, China Airlines took proactive steps to stimulate domestic production.
The airline committed to using more than 2,500 tons of SAF, representing an estimated reduction of approximately 6,500 tons of CO₂ emissions. In parallel, it signed a multi-year offtake agreement for over 10,000 tons of locally produced SAF.
These long-term commitments provide essential demand signals to fuel producers, helping justify investment in production capacity and strengthening the reliability of local supply.
Ecosystem Coordination through Policy Alignment and Corporate Partnerships
Beyond operations and procurement, China Airlines played a central role in aligning the broader ecosystem required for SAF to scale.
The airline collaborated with regulators through Taiwan’s first SAF pilot initiative and aligned its partnerships with international certification standards such as ISCC and CORSIA, ensuring traceability and credible emissions accounting.
At the same time, China Airlines introduced Taiwan’s first corporate SAF program, enabling companies to participate in SAF procurement and reduce emissions associated with business travel. This created a new demand channel, allowing corporate partners to contribute directly to aviation decarbonization through both Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions reductions.
China Airlines has accelerated the transition systematically from pilot experimentation to ecosystem-level adoption, catalyzing Taiwan’s SAF market development and supporting the country’s long-term aviation decarbonization pathway.
For more information, visit The Aviation Challenge website.
