A new report from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) outlines the potential for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to decarbonize the aviation sector.
The report, “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Sustainable Aviation Fuel,” analyzes the technical and commercial readiness of SAF production pathways, while providing actionable steps for public and private sectors to take by 2030. Action, the report said, would turn the U.S. into a global leader for SAF production.
“With the aviation sector growing each year, there is no better time to invest in solutions that are both technologically and commercially ready today,” U.S Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said. “The latest in DOE’s Liftoff series, this report lays out the critical innovations and investments needed to drive down costs and further scale SAF production—paving the way for a cleaner, more competitive aviation sector that will benefit communities and businesses nationwide.”
According to the report, announced project represent more than three billion gallons of domestic SAF production per year by 2030, 10 percent more than projected U.S. jet fuel demand, and representing a more than $44 million investment.
However, the SAF liftoff by 2030 will require accelerated deployment of production technologies and feedstocks that are readily available today. Parallel investment into emerging SAF technologies are essential to ensuring 100 percent of jet fuel can be sustainable by 2050.
The report said the biggest barriers to SAF scale up is cost, with SAF currently costing two to 10 times more than fossil jet fuel. Long-term offtake agreements will establish the demand certainty necessary to improve financing terms and stimulate investment across the SAF value chain, the report said. The liftoff will require international policy coordination and alignment on carbon accounting, feedstock traceability and book and claim systems, the report said.