SAF Coalition issues implementation guidance

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Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF Coalition) personnel have issued guidance on operationally incorporating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and accelerating low-carbon fuels while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The Fueling the Future guideline provides an educational and informational resource detailing practicalities of SAF development, industry adoption, and pending expansion of supply and use, officials said, primarily from the perspectives of the business aviation community.

“The single-largest potential reduction in aviation’s GHG emissions — and the key to reaching our goals — will come about through the broad adoption of sustainable aviation fuel in place of the current conventional jet fuel,” the coalition indicated via the guide.

The guidance maintains on a gallon-per-gallon basis low-carbon components often reduce net lifecycle CO2 emissions over 50 percent versus conventional jet fuel. The aviation industry is planning to produce SAF blending components with deeper reductions – in some cases, more than 100 percent, making the fuels’ carbon negative.

The SAF Coalition joined the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) in, crafting the guide.

“It is very encouraging to see the continuously increasing interest from the business aviation community to use SAF to address sustainability goals,” Steve Csonka, CAAFI executive director, said. “Although a modest user of the worldwide production of jet fuel, their exuberant interest in acquiring supply will clearly help accelerate SAF production ramp-up, one of the entire aviation industry’s key needs. We hope this guide helps amplify the opportunity and response.”