The European Commission has approved two Dutch State aid schemes with a combined budget of €290 million to accelerate the production and technological development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
The measures align with the objectives of the EU Clean Industrial Deal and the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which aim to boost the supply and demand of lower-carbon fuels and drive aviation decarbonisation. Together, the two schemes share a joint budget to support projects across different development phases. One mechanism provides direct investment aid for full SAF production, while the second covers preparatory expenses, including front-end engineering design (FEED) studies.
The programmes are expected to support projects capable of producing approximately 285 kilotonnes of SAF annually—equivalent to 350 million litres of conventional kerosene or roughly 3,500 intercontinental flights. Support will focus specifically on two emerging fuel pathways: advanced bio-SAF produced without the Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (non-HEFA) process, and synthetic aviation fuels (e-SAF).
Financial support will be distributed as direct grants upon the achievement of specific project milestones, running from 2027 until 2031 at the latest. Up to five funding rounds will take place during this period on a first-come, first-served basis. Beneficiaries under the production scheme must demonstrate compliance with EU sustainability criteria for advanced biofuels or renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs).
The Commission evaluated the measures under EU State aid rules, specifically Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, the 2022 Climate, Environmental Protection and Energy Guidelines (CEEAG), and the 2025 Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF). The regulatory assessment concluded that the measures are necessary, proportionate, and contain sufficient safeguards to limit distortions of competition within the EU single market.
