Paving the Way for SAF Adoption in Chile: The Role of Vuelo Limpio as a Collaborative Platform
The aviation sector in Chile has strongly recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching an all-time high in 2024 by transporting just above 28 million passengers. Given Chile’s 4.270 kilometers length, air travel is a crucial means of connectivity.. As expected, air transport activity will continue to rise increasing its fuel demand. To date, the aviation sector relies entirely on fossil fuels and accounts for approximately 4.8% of the country's total final energy consumption. Furthermore, as figure 1 illustrates, aviation fuel consumption in Chile is projected to increase by 129% between 2019 and 2050. Chile’s energy transition has gained global recognition for being both ambitious and consistent across time. While other sectors can decarbonize through direct electrification, civil aviation requires additional measures, particularly the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF); the primary solution for reducing aviation emissions. Transitioning to SAF demands alignment among stakeholders across the entire value chain, coordination of efforts over different timeframes, and reducing uncertainties to enable effective action. To ensure this transition takes place in a timely and ordered manner, the program Vuelo Limpio has been tasked with leading the way toward sustainable aviation in Chile.
Figure 1. Projection for aviation fuel consumption in Chile. Source: Chile’s SAF Roadmap 2050
Founded in 2021, Vuelo Limpio aims to advance civil aviation toward decarbonization. Its work aligns with the goals of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and is led by two ministries: the Ministry of Energy through the Energy Sustainability Agency, and the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications through the Civil Aeronautics Board. At its core, Vuelo Limpio is a voluntary and collaborative program enabling stakeholders across the aviation sector to contribute and find synergies in the pursuit of sustainability. Vuelo Limpio has convened a dedicated SAF Roundtable, a voluntary public-private advisory body that brings together stakeholders across the entire aviation fuel value chain. The SAF Roundtable played a key role in the development of the Chilean SAF Roadmap 2050; the primary policy instrument for enabling SAF adoption in Chile. The SAF Roadmap 2050 establishes the aspirational goal of fueling at least 50% of civil aviation demand with SAF by 2050, in line with national energy strategies, policies, and international commitments. Beyond the SAF Roadmap 2050, Vuelo Limpio has facilitated a public-private agreement bringing together 48 organizations that committed to taking concrete steps toward SAF development in Chile, each of them contributing from their own expertise strengthening the SAF ecosystem.
Currently, Vuelo Limpio is supporting the development of a SAF feasibility study funded by the Netherlands, in the context of ICAO’s Assistance, Capacity-building and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels program (ICAO ACT-SAF). This study examines Chile’s potential to produce SAF, considering factors such as raw materials, infrastructure, regulations, and the insights from stakeholders. The results are expected to be published in the coming months.
Despite significant progress, key challenges remain. The need for a supportive regulatory framework, the availability of sustainability certification schemes, and the cost gap between SAF and conventional jet fuel among others. These challenges will continue to shape the work of Vuelo Limpio, since addressing them will be essential to ensuring a successful transition toward sustainable aviation.
by Vuelo Limpio