The goal of 3 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030 is within reach, especially considering about 2 billion gallons of SAF are expected to come online by 2028, according to estimates in a new report, Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge Roadmap Implementation Framework. Additional volume can be expected if barriers are addressed including market demand, policy framework, and airline offtake agreements.
Aside from corn and soybeans, no purpose-grown biofuel feedstock crops are grown at scale today, requiring more R&D to increase the production and collection of biomass resources.
SAF production utilizing the HEFA process requires an adequate supply of fats, oils and greases, which face competition today from renewable diesel, biodiesel, food and other products.
Reducing the carbon intensity of the existing ethanol industry is a key opportunity to expand SAF production. In addition to applying climate-smart agriculture to reduce the CI of starch-based ethanol, renewed and expanded effort will be needed to develop low-CI sugar feedstocks from agricultural residues, the report stated.
Actual production on the ground of SAF is growing, but still minimal. Montana Renewables announced a new high point of 10 million gallons of SAF in Q3. A Department of Energy loan guarantee awarded in October of $1.44 billion will help fund the construction and expansion of the renewable fuels facility, making it one of the largest SAFT producers with production capacity of approximately 300 million gallons of SAF and 330 million gallons of combined SAF and renewable diesel. Approximately half of the 300-million-gallon SAF capability will be online by 2026.
Valero’s SAF project at Diamond Green Diesel Port Arthur plant was successfully completed in October and is expected to be fully operational this year, providing the plant with the ability to upgrade approximately 50% of its current renewable diesel production capacity to SAF, with a total capacity of 225 million gallons.
Corteva and bp announced a joint venture to produce crop-based biofuel feedstocks, targeting the growing demand for low-carbon fuels in aviation. The initiative aims to deliver 1 million metric tons of biofuel feedstocks annually by the mid-2030s and help deliver feedstocks to meet the EU’s 2% mandate for SAF in 2025, increasing to 70% by 2050. Under the JV, Corteva will leverage its proprietary mustard seed, sunflower, and canola varieties optimized for SAF production and work with producers and North America, South America and Europe.
https://www.grainjournal.com/article/1059523/saf-capacity-to-surpass-2-billion-gallons-by-2028