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On January 10, 2025, the Treasury Department (the “Treasury”) and the Internal Revenue Service (the “Service”) continued their flurry of new guidance by releasing IRS Notice 2025-10 (the “Notice”) concerning the clean fuel production credit available under section 45Z of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code,” and such credit, the “Clean Fuel Production Credit”),¹ for certain clean fuels produced and sold between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027.²

As global passenger demand surges back to pre-pandemic levels, the aviation finance sector finds itself at a pivotal crossroads. Lower interest rates are sparking renewed activity, the aircraft ABS market is rebounding, and supply chain challenges continue to reshape priorities.

In this article published in Environmental Finance, Andrew Nealon, Afzaal Abidi, Joshua Hayes, Alex Lee, and Anuja Venkataramani* examine the UK’s efforts to establish a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry.

David Berkery, Vinson & Elkins partner and co-head of our Aviation Finance practice, talks through the firm’s venture into Ireland and the macrotrends shaping the industry.

Ireland is the global hub for aircraft leasing and financing, with over 60%¹ of the world’s leased aircraft being managed from there, and Dublin being home to more than 30 aircraft leasing companies².

In a potentially significant development that may impact the economics of aviation, the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) is proposing a policy, as we previewed in January 2024, to update the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (“LCFS”) program, whereby CARB would eliminate the existing exemption for intrastate fossil jet fuel from LCFS regulations beginning in 2028.

On May 31, 2024, the Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) and the Internal Revenue Service continued to churn out Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”)¹ guidance by releasing Notice 2024-49 (the “Notice”) regarding the clean fuel production tax credit (the “45Z Credit”)² available under new section 45Z of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

As the aviation market moves towards a more sustainable future and fuel source, Brazil and other Latin American countries are likely to serve as key production locations for SAF due to their unique natural endowments and existing experience with bio-fuels.

On December 18, 2023, the European Union (EU) published its 12th package of sanctions targeting Russia via Regulation (EU) 2023/2878 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2875, which amend Regulation (EU) 833/2014 and Regulation (EU) 269/2014, respectively (collectively, the “12th Sanctions Package”).

Global air travel traffic (measured in revenue per kilometers (RPKs)) begins 2024 in line with pre-COVID highs.

As 2023 draws to a close we are taking a moment to recap on some of the headline events that have occurred in the aviation industry during the last 12 months.

Power-to-liquids technology can accelerate aviation’s decarbonization journey.