SAF feedstock must be diversified

Diversifying sustainable aviation fuel feedstocks is key to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. IATA , which set the net-zero target in 2021, released a report this month indicating that sustainable aviation fuel ( SAF ) production was on track to triple in 2024 from the previous year to 1.9 billion liters, though feedstocks remain low and SAF remains about two to three times the price of jet kerosene. [caption id="attachment_57139307" align="alignleft" width="371"] A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 is fueled with sustainable aviation fuel. (Courtesy/Virgin Atlantic)[/caption] “About 80% of SAF expected to be produced over the next five years is likely to come from hydrogenated fatty acids (HEFA) or used cooking oils, animal fats, etc.,” the IATA report stated. “Accelerating the use of other certified pathways and feedstocks — including agricultural and forestry residues and municipal waste — will greatly expand the potential for SAF production.” There are sure to be setbacks as SAF pro duction ramps up, however. Governments and industry leaders have set ambitious targets for decarbonizing the aviation sector, creating demand that outweighs supply, John Dees , senior decarbonization scientist at research group Carbon Direct , told Air Cargo Next . Lacking supply “Producers are responding to that demand signal, but cost, uncertainties around sustainability criteria and reporting, and early commercialization of new feedstocks and production methods present a challenge to both producers and potential buyers,” Dees said. “Rather than pressure, I would say that SAF producers need the support of policy and impact buyers to help nascent projects scale. And buyers, especially those purchasing SAF to meet voluntary targets, need clear guidance on how SAF can be utilized to meet their targets.” SAF can reduce carbon emissions from aviation by 80% when it is blended with traditional jet fuel, and numerous carriers have committed to offtake agreements , or future SAF purchases, securing SAF for as much as a 10% blend by 2030 . While these measures are a step in the right direction, there will not be enough supply to reach net zero without diversification of feedstocks, Dees said. Alternative pathways “Most of the SAF in the market today is HEFA-produced from residual oils and fats,” he said. “However, there is a limited supply of those feedstocks and competition for other uses, such as renewable diesel. Other production methods that rely on ethanol, CO2 or syngas are more nascent and can unlock additional supply.” Syngas, short for synthesis gas, is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. “As some of these routes to SAF are first-of-kind projects, there is certainly an opportunity to reduce the cost of production via economies of scale, learning by doing and establishing the infrastructure and more efficient supply chains,” Dees said. To successfully achieve net zero, SAF production would need to reach 450 billion liters by 2050, according to TIACA . IATA’s projection of 1.9 billion liters of SAF produced this year would account for less than 1% of the total need with only about 25 years until the deadline. To diversify SAF feedstocks, producers have been looking into alternative methods, which include: eSAF, or SAF created from wind and solar power in a power-to-liquid process; SAF produced through human waste or biomass, as U.K.-based producer Firefly Green Fuels is exploring; and SAF produced from algae or other agricultural residues. But not all SAF is created equal, Dees said. “Different SAF production pathways and feedstocks can yield markedly different emissions reductions for the same volume of fuel,” he said. “Some production pathways can even achieve greater than 100% reduction — [being] carbon negative — via integration with technologies like carbon capture and sequestration. “There is also good evidence that SAF reduces contrail emissions , which can have an outsized impact on its emissions reduction potential,” he said. “So, in that regard, there is substantial opportunity to reduce the cost of addressing aviation emissions via SAF.” Register here for Air Cargo Next ’s upcoming webinar, “Air Cargo and Pharma: Using Technology to Save Lives,” on Tuesday, June 18, at 11 a.m. ET.

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