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Leading the charge to meet the EU mandates are SAF pioneers such as Neste (Finland), TotalEnergies (France), Eni (Italy), and Preem (Sweden). Neste’s renewable fuel facility in Singapore has significantly expanded its SAF production, securing its position as the world’s largest SAF producer, producing 330 million gallons annually. With three projects in the pipeline, Neste aims to reach an impressive production capacity of 727 million gallons by 2026.
In addition to the mainstream SAF production techniques, which involve utilizing cooking oil waste or woody biomass, Neste and TotalEnergies are exploring eFuels production. eFuels promise to reduce further total greenhouse gas emissions associated with SAF.
Major EU airports have embraced SAF and are active- ly offering it to airlines. Travelers can find SAF in use at airports such as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), London Heathrow Airport (LHR), Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), and Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
Across Asia, SAF adoption is also gaining momentum. Key airports providing SAF include Singapore Changi Air- port (SIN), Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). The interactive map supplied by 4AIR (https://4air.aero/saf-map) is a valuable resource for pilots seeking SAF availability at various airports.
Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s premier carrier, has tak- en significant steps towards SAF adoption. In June, the airline expanded its usage of SAF by testing it in its 747 cargo aircraft. Cathay fueled four 747s with a blend of Jet A and SAF during flights from Hong Kong International to Peng International via Singapore. The company aims to use 10% SAF for its entire fleet by 2030.
SAF Production and Availability in the United States
SAF production is steadily growing domestically, with companies like Fulcrum BioEnergy, World Energy, Calumet’s Montana Renewables, and Red Rock Biofuels collectively producing approximately 40 million gallons per month. While this is a significant step forward, it still represents only a fraction of the 4.6 billion gallons of Jet A produced domestically each month.
The emergence of eFuel or Power-to-Liquid (PtL) holds promise. PtL is employed by companies like Air Company, which produces drop-in aviation fuel by scavenging CO2 waste streams and combining the fuel with hydrogen ex- tracted from water via electrolysis. However, one of the primary challenges in scaling eFuels is the substantial demand for sustainably sourced and produced electricity, ensuring efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Several large airports currently offer SAF, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Dallas/Fort Worth Inter- national Airport (DFW), and Orlando International Airport (MCO). Travelers can refer to 4AIR’s SAF map to find ad- ditional airports serving SAF.
While the adoption of SAF is in its early stages due to limited availability and higher costs (typically $2 per
gallon higher than conventional jet fuel, depending on the feedstock, time of year, and demand), there is a positive trend. Notably, United Airlines, an early adopter of SAF, is on track to triple its 2022 SAF volumes this year. United Airlines is also actively encouraging customer participation in sus- tainability efforts by offering them the option to contribute $3.50 to their Sustainable Flight Fund, which invests in devel- oping innovative technologies to accelerate SAF production.
This year, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines have joined forces with Shell Aviation to procure lower lifecycle carbon SAF. Each airline plans to use up to 10 million gallons of blend- ed SAF at LAX, further promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuel in the industry. In partnership with Neste, Bell Textron flew a Bell 505 to become the world’s first single-engine helicopter to fly on 100% SAF.
Neste also uses existing infrastructure to move SAF in pipelines traditionally used for fossil fuels. In June, a batch of SAF was pumped from Texas to LGA New York using the Colonial Pipeline.
USA’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge
The US Government has created a SAF Grand Challenge with a Memorandum of Understanding to reduce the costs,
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What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) represents a promising alternative for commercial aviation, capable of reducing CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional fossil fuels. SAF comes from various eco-friendly feedstocks, including waste fats, oils, and greases, municipal solid waste, agricultural and forestry residues, and non-food crops cultivated on marginal land. Additionally, synthetic production processes can capture carbon directly from the air to create SAF.
To meet SAF criteria, the fuel must contain a minimum of 50% SAF by volume, with some European countries setting even higher requirements. The greater the SAF ratio in the fuel blend, the more significant the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, with studies showing an impressive 80% decrease when using 100% SAF.
SAF stands out as “sustainable” due to its feedstock’s nature, which ensures they do not compete with food crops or necessitate additional resources like water or land clearing. Moreover, SAF production avoids environmental concerns such as deforestation, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss.
A notable advantage of SAF over fossil fuels is that it recycles CO2 previously absorbed by the biomass used in the feedstock during its life cycle. This closed-loop carbon recycling process makes SAF a more environmentally sound choice for aviation fuel, contributing to a greener and more sustainable aviation industry.