United Airlines’ SAF awareness campaign.
Amidst the backdrop of a rapidly changing climate — characterized by unprecedented events such as the hottest July on record, soaring ocean and land temperatures, climate activists vandalizing private jets, and airports facing reduced operations or complete termination — the aviation industry’s pursuit of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) has undeniably intensified.
At EAA’s AirVenture this year, sustainability was a major focus for prominent companies like Boeing, Textron, and others. AeroShell made significant strides by promoting SAF through its recent decarbonization and SAF marketing initiatives. Additionally, United Airlines effectively leverages beloved icons like Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch to reinforce its commitment to SAF
and sustainability.
These collective efforts are crucial, and we can applaud them. However, the aviation sector still faces critical challenges in meeting the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) ambitious targets for carbon reduction by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Continuous
investment, research, transparent policies, and financial incentives for SAF production and distribution are imperative to overcome these challenges.
In 2022, IATA estimates that the global production of SAF ranged between 300 and 450 million gallons, amounting to a mere 0.4% of all jet fuel consumed annually. As SAF holds the utmost importance in achieving IATA’s targets compared to other decarbonization efforts, including efficiency improvements or market-based measures, producers are relentlessly working to find the optimal balance between feedstock sourcing, technology advancements, efficient distribution, and economic viability.
International SAF Regulations, Production and Availability
The aviation industry is undergoing significant changes driven by the EU’s recent ReFuelEU Aviation rules. These regulations mandate fuel suppliers to provide 10% SAF by volume for all Jet A fuel sold in the EU by 2030, with ambitious plans to increase this to 70% by 2050. To further promote SAF usage and reduce emissions, operators departing from EU airports will face restrictions on tankering fuel. These restrictions prevent operators from carrying excess fuel weight, which contributes to increased emissions. Some operators also see tankering as a way to avoid purchasing SAF in the first place.
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 actively 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 Airport (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 taken 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 extracted 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 International Airport (DFW), and Orlando International Airport (MCO). Travelers can refer to 4AIR’s SAF map to find additional 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 sustainability efforts by offering them the option to contribute $3.50 to their Sustainable Flight Fund, which invests in developing 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 blended 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, 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 current 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 commitments, and enhance public-private partnerships.
Impressive Progress, but is it Enough?
These stats are all impressive and are cause for celebration. 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.
Mix in continued travel demand and growth that may increase 17% for America-Europe travel and up to 61% for travel within Asia by 2030, according to Bain & Company, balancing the rate of technological development of SAF, availability and any incentives, reaching IATA’s net zero goals start to seem like moon shots.
At a recent IATA meeting, Qatar’s CEO, Akbar Al Baker, criticized IATA’s Net Zero commitments as “a PR exercise” and doubted the ability of IATA to comply with their 2030 and 2050 goals.
Kenneth Quinn, an aviation lawyer and general counsel to the Flight Safety Foundation, penned an editorial in response to Baker’s criticism by outlining many challenges facing aviation’s net zero goals. He stressed the importance of ambitious industry collaboration and government investment at scales similar to President Kennedy’s lunar program.
Neste’s VP of Renewable Aviation Americas, Michael Sergeant, shared that the industry will invest more if policy shows more significant long-term commitments beyond broad initiatives such as the SAF Grand Challenge.
Financial incentives such as the US’s Biomass-based Diesel Blender’s Tax Credit provided under the Inflation Reduction Act offer a $1.25 base credit per gallon of SAF. Still, this incentive expires in 2024, replaced by the Clean Fuel Production Credit, which places increased requirements like domestic production, lowers potential credit, and will only be available until 2027. The critical role of SAF in decarbonization necessitates sustained and longer-term governmental support and incentives to achieve the prescribed quotas.
Price-at-the-pump challenges must also be addressed, with the total cost of greenhouse gas emissions and their impacts factored in. While the fuel at the pump, say in Texas, might be cheap when comparing conventional jet fuel to SAF, the social costs and impacts of continuing to use fossil fuels are not accounted for.
As the world grapples with increasingly severe climate challenges, the aviation industry’s strides towards sustainability are commendable. However, the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains a pressing concern. Time will be the ultimate judge of whether our efforts will be enough to make a meaningful impact in averting the worst consequences of climate change. We must continue to push for further advancements in sustainable aviation fuels and commit to ambitious collaborative actions to safeguard our planet’s future.
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.
