❓FAQs
Common questions about the registry
What is the SAFc Registry?
The SAFc Registry is a standardized secure electronic database that enables issuance, transfer and retirement of sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc). It enables consistency, transparency and auditability of aviation-related emissions reduction claims.
What are SAF certificates and how do they work?
A sustainable aviation fuel certificate represents the right to claim environmental attributes associated with one metric ton of unblended, certified sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Once a SAFc is issued, the associated physical SAF volume is treated as if it were conventional jet fuel, and the SAFc can be used to claim reductions in direct and indirect aviation-related emissions.
What are SAFcA and SAFcE?
SAFcA is a type of SAF certificate unit that is issued representing the unbundled (that is, both Scope 1 and Scope 3) environmental attributes associated with one metric ton of neat SAF. SAFcA can be retired by an air transport provider, vesting the retiring entity with the Scope 1 claims related to the lifecycle environmental attributes of the SAF. If a SAFcA allows for the unbundling of a SAFcE (i.e. the Scope 3 attributes), the SAFcA will only represent Scope 1 environmental attributes after unbundling.
SAFcE is a type of SAF certificate that represents the unbundled end-user (that is, Scope 3) claims pertaining to a SAFcA. Through retiring the SAFcE, the holder of the SAFcE can assign the right to claim end-user reductions to the beneficiary of the retirement. If the retiring account holder is a logistics provider, both the logistics provider and its end-user client may be beneficiaries of the retirement.
Can SAFcA and SAFcE be issued for the same SAF volume?
Yes. SAFcA and SAFcE represent the two sides of the same coin, i.e. the combustion emissions of the entity that has burned the SAF (the airline), and the consumption emissions of the entity that was using the plane (the passenger or cargo). SAFcA can only be used to claim reductions in direct aviation-related emissions, while SAFcE can only be used to claim reductions in indirect aviation-related emissions. Though a given pair are both linked to the same SAF batch, the associated direct and indirect emissions are accounted and reported differently.
What is the lifetime of SAFc in the registry?
A SAFc is valid for 24 calendar months from the date of its issuance or unbundling. Certificates not retired within this timeframe are automatically invalidated (that is, they expire). Expired certificates cannot be transferred or retired.
How does the registry prevent double issuance within the registry and double use across other registries?
At SAFc issuance, the registry records all the information contained in the Proof of Sustainability document of the underlying SAF batch, which makes it fully traceable. The registry only allows issuance for SAF made by fuel producers who are certified to have processes that avoid double issuance.
To prevent a certificate for the same SAF volume from accidentally or fraudulently being issued in multiple registries, a common data structure for registry holdings is being explored and trialled with other registries as part of registry interoperability efforts of the Book and Claim Community on Heavy Transport.
How is the registry connected to other SAF book and claim work?
The registry requirements are primarily based on the Book and Claim Manual issued by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), and the registry will seek RSB Book and Claim Recognition. However, other book and claim materials and relevant bodies contributed to the registry design and requirements, including topical publications and discussions with members of the World Economic Forum, Smart Freight Centre, and Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA). Further, there is ongoing consultation and collaboration with other SAF book and claim systems and consultative groups for a minimum registry standard.
Can I buy SAFc in the registry?
No, the registry is not a marketplace. Instead, it records the issuance, transfer and retirement of SAFc among registry account holders. To purchase SAF or SAFc, reach out to SABA or other entities.
What is the registry's business model?
The registry was developed with philanthropic funding. However, to maintain it and continually meet the needs of the sustainable aviation ecosystem, fees are charged for its use. You can read more about registry fees here.
What "registration number" should I provide for my company during the Know-Your-Business (KYB) step of the onboarding process?
You can provide Sumsub any government-issued identification number that uniquely identifies your business. For U.S. companies, you could provide your company's Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the IRS.
Who needs to go through KYC process - the Company Representative or the person who signed the Company Authorization letter?
Assuming they are different people, the Company Representative needs to go through the KYC process using their own information and ID documentation, as they will be representing their company on the registry. Also, you cannot go through the KYC on behalf of someone else, as it requires a liveness check.
Where can I find the SAFc Registry's Terms and Conditions and Privacy policy documents?
Our SAF was made from multiple feedstocks. How can we list these feedstocks in the issuance form?
Choose the last option "other" in the feedstock selector is to reveal a free entry text box where you can list one or more feedstocks you used.
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