Concurrent Panel Sessions, Friday, June 24, 2022

Aviation is responsible for 2-3% of all U.S. CO2 emissions yet is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonize with limited alternatives to liquid jet fuel. An alternative to petroleum-based fuels, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is produced from sustainable or renewable sources which reduces life-cycle carbon emissions such as waste material, bioenergy crops, woody biomass, algae, and captured CO2. SAF is designed to be a drop-in fuel, meaning that they are compatible with existing infrastructure. Last year, the Biden-Harris Administration tasked USDA, Department of Transportation, and Department of Energy with launching a SAF Grand Challenge to reduce the cost, enhance the sustainability, and expand the production and use of SAF to 35 billion gallons per year or 100% of U.S. aviation fuel demand by 2050. To achieve this goal, agricultural feedstocks such as new oilseed crops and perennial grasses that have additional environmental benefits are being developed and deployed. These feedstocks are designed to be planted within current rotations, as winter cover, or on marginal agricultural land, avoiding competition with food, feed, and fiber production. Importantly, life cycle assessment (LCA) and induced land-use change (ILUC) models account for emissions along the entire supply chain, environmental/land-use impacts, and conservation practices. The production and use of SAF can play a key role in achieving U.S. climate objectives and reduce net lifecycle carbon emissions by airlines.