Why Airlines Are Turning to Blockchain for Green Fuel

Avelia Tracks Verified SAF Use Worldwide, Boosting Confidence in Sustainable Aviation

19 Jul 2025

Aviation is among the hardest sectors to clean up. A new digital tool, Avelia, hopes to help. The blockchain-based platform lets airlines and corporate travellers claim the benefits of using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), even when the fuel is unavailable at their departure airport.

The scheme has expanded fast. By March 31st 2025 Avelia had signed up 57 airlines and corporations, tracking more than 33m gallons of SAF injected at 17 airports. That represents some 300,000 tonnes of avoided carbon emissions. The platform has shifted from relying on a single supplier to operating as an open marketplace. Independent hosting by Accenture aims to ensure transactions are transparent and free from double counting, vital for firms eager to show credible progress on climate goals.

The attraction for airlines is straightforward. SAF supply remains scarce and patchily distributed. Without "book and claim" systems, carriers would struggle to demonstrate progress towards emissions targets, exposing them to regulatory and reputational risks. Corporate clients, meanwhile, can record verified reductions in their sustainability reports.

Sceptics worry that such schemes enable "paper decarbonisation": firms claim credit without physically burning cleaner fuel. Supporters counter that without this accounting trick demand would remain stagnant, denying producers the market signals needed to finance new facilities. Avelia's designers hope verified demand will unlock capital for SAF projects, giving banks and investors confidence that buyers stand ready.

The platform's rise marks more than a technical upgrade. It illustrates how digital infrastructure is becoming central to the energy transition. If uptake continues, blockchain may move from buzzword to backbone of aviation's cleaner future.