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The author’s aircraft being refueled with SAF.
expand production, and improve the sustainability of SAFs. The program’s goals are a minimum 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and “supplying sufficient SAF to meet 100% of aviation fuel demand by 2050.”
The lofty goals of the challenge are net-zero emissions and full decarbonization of US aviation by 2050. A SAF Challenge Roadmap examines current production capacity and cur- rent and projected fuel needs. It identifies six action areas to help meet the initiative’s goals.
To reach the 100% aviation fuel demand goal, “more than 400 biorefineries and 1 billion tons of biomass (or gaseous carbon dioxide feedstock) will be needed to produce 35 billion gallons per year by 2050.”
The Grand Challenge’s success would significantly impact rural areas by creating biomass production, sourcing, and processing jobs. It would also enhance crop and forest productivity, provide opportunities for underserved communities, encourage industry com- mitments, and enhance public-private partnerships.
Impressive Progress, but is it Enough?
These stats are all impressive and are cause for cel- ebration. Still, they also need to be appreciated against the reality of jet fuel consumption, industry growth worldwide, and current headwinds slowing adoption.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that the average daily jet fuel consumption in the United States in 2022 was 1.5 million barrels or 22.9 billion gallons per year. Of this, US airlines consumed 17.5 billion gallons. In comparison, only 15.8 million gallons of domestic SAF were produced in 2022, representing just 0.07% of the total annual jet fuel used in the United States. Worldwide annual jet fuel consumption hit its highest peak at 95 billion gallons in 2019, and after the COVID drop in demand, it is on pace to surpass that peak in 2024 with
100 billion gallons consumed.
Wings
https://wingsofhope.ngo
Preferred
https://preferredairparts.com
14 • TWIN & TURBINE / October 2023