Scotland's biggest airports are backing a campaign to create eco-friendly jet fuel facilities at Grangemouth and St Fergus which could create thousands of new jobs.
Rise, a coalition between some of the UK’s leading airlines, airports and engineers, has launched a pledge to back Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in the UK and aims to lower air travel emissions while creating thousands of new jobs.
Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen airport bosses are among the backers of the campaign.
The aviation group said that Scotland could become a world-leader in SAF production with proposed sites at Grangemouth and St Fergus.
Campaigners say SAF production sites could boost the Scottish economy by £1.8billion by 2030 while also creating thousands of new jobs in the industry.
Sustainable aviation fuels are synthetic alternatives to fossil fuels and are made from renewable sources like 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.”