Developing sustainable aviation fuel to deepen south Australia’s green economy: A BERTopic-enhanced SWOT analysis

Abstract

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a key solution for reducing aviation carbon emissions and is expected to contribute over 65% towards the industry’s net-zero target by 2050. However, the gap between production capacity and potential demand remains significant. This paper analyses 225 inputs from 14 sustainability experts using BERTopic to enhance the analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) to evaluate the feasibility of developing an SAF industry in South Australia. It has been found that South Australia possesses several unique comparative advantages in creating the SAF industry to further elevate the scale and quality of its green economy. The analysis shows that there is an urgent need for government collaboration with industry and research institutions to accelerate progress. Key initiatives proposed include establishing a research centre of excellence and providing supply-side incentives such as joint investment, tax credits, and low-interest loans. These measures will support research, coordinate stakeholders, build skilled workforce, reduce upfront costs, and ensure stable feedstock supplies. On the demand side, government procurement, airline credits, and uptake agreements with South Australian producers can boost market confidence.