Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) "Book & Claim" – Decoupling the Environmental Benefits from the Physical Product

Book and claim is a chain-of-custody model in which the administrative record flow does not necessarily connect to the physical flow of a product throughout the supply chain (Source: ISO 22095:2020). In other words, book and claim means that organisations can obtain and claim the sustainability attributes of a product without having to take physical custody of that same product and without needing the buyer and the seller to be connected by a physical supply chain – as is the case with other chain-of-custody models such as ‘mass balance’. Book and claim transactions must be tracked and validated through the use of an independent registry.

The RSB Book & Claim System provides a robust and transparent approach to:

i. Decouple the environmental attributes of sustainable aviation or marine fuels (e.g., the emission reduction) from the physical product;

ii. Transfer them via the RSB Registry (or recognised registry), and

iii. Claim them in such a way that avoids double counting and delivers climate impact. Book and claim enables suppliers to reach many more customers than possible with physical, mass balance supply chains, and, while the customer may not technically fly or ship their goods on sustainable fuels, their purchase demonstrates market demand and supports the development of supply globally. In turn, they may claim the environmental benefits towards their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction targets.

Examples of opportunities that are unlocked by the RSB Book & Claim System in the aviation sector include:

=> An airline without physical access to SAF supply can purchase and claim the sustainability attributes of SAF.

=> Corporate end-users can purchase SAF and claim the environmental benefits (e.g., GHG reductions) to reduce their aviation business travel emissions.

=> Airlines with and without physical access to SAF can already operate 100% SAF flights (up to 50% physically via "mass balance" + remaining share virtually via "book and claim"). Note: Whilst 100% SAF flights are being tested and will soon be a reality, today SAF is approved to use in all aircraft in blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.

Source: RSB Book & Claim Manual (https://perma.cc/PH5W-SZPF)