Avionics News July 2021 - 67

adoption of SAF as the most promising factor. The WEF
report stated enough sustainable, renewable feedstocks,
including municipal waste, agricultural residues,
and waste lipids, exist to produce enough SAF, but
production and distribution chains are not yet as widely
available as necessary.
SAF is currently more expensive than traditional
fuel, but experts predict pricing to decrease as supply
increases. According to the WEF report, " Even as costs
fall, SAF will almost certainly remain more expensive
to produce than fossil fuel, although a rising carbon
price may enable parity in the 2030s. "
One method of mitigating the
added cost of SAF is through
government policies, including
tax benefits, which incentivize the
purchase of SAF.
A coalition of almost 50
aviation trade groups, airlines and
other aircraft operators, aircraft
manufacturers, pilot unions, and
fuel producers presented the Biden
administration with just this sort of
policy proposal, calling for a $1.50
per gallon " blender's tax " credit
for the production of SAF with a
demonstrated life cycle greenhouse
gas emission reduction of at least
Washington, New York, and New Jersey; Ann Arbor,
Michigan; and numerous locations around the globe.
Some business aircraft manufacturers deliver new
aircraft filled with SAF and conduct their company
flight operations and demonstration flights using SAF.
Business aircraft operators are also taking advantage
of book-and-claim programs through which the
operator purchases traditional fuel at SAF prices where
SAF is not available, receives credit for using the SAF,
and is able to claim that SAF at a location where it is
available.
WHAT IMPACT DID
THE COVID-19
CRISIS HAVE ON THE
AVIATION INDUSTRY'S
ADOPTION OF SAF AS
PART OF THE OVERALL
GOAL TO REACH
SUSTAINABILITY?
50% versus conventional Jet-A. Each 10% reduction
would add a 10-cent per gallon tax credit, not to exceed
$2 per gallon of SAF.
Importantly, the U.S. Department of Energy believes
the country could feasibly replace almost all U.S.consumed
Jet-A with SAF with additional development
of infrastructure and delivery mechanisms. Sustainable
aviation fuel production could be equal to fossil fuel
production by 2030, a Department representative said in
a recent webinar on SAF.
Business aviation
Business aviation is responsible for only .04% of
global emissions created by human activity, according
to a 2019 ICAO study, but this sector of the industry
has made a commitment similar to the airlines - as an
industry, to reduce its emissions by 50%, compared to
2005 by 2050 and to achieve carbon-neutral growth.
The network of SAF available to general and business
aircraft operators is increasing as more fixed-base
operators in more locations commit to supplying SAF,
which is now available at multiple airports in California,
NetJets recently became the first private aviation
company to buy a stake in a biofuel
producer. In February, the company
announced it invested in WasteFuel,
which will convert municipal waste
into SAF.
Commercial airlines
Despite the financial hit of the
COVID-19 global pandemic for the
commercial airlines, several airlines
stepped up their SAF commitments in
2020 and 2021.
Several Airlines for America
members, which includes major
passenger and cargo U.S carriers,
are committed to achieve net-zero
carbon emissions to 50% of 2005 levels by 2050. The
association is working with the government and other
stakeholders to ensure availability of 2 billion gallons of
SAF for U.S. operators in 2030.
United Airlines is a leader in SAF adoption with one
of the first and largest investments in SAF in 2015. The
company recently established the Eco-Skies Alliance,
which allows global corporations to contribute toward
the purchase of SAF. The program will collectively
purchase approximately 3.4 million gallons of SAF in
2021, which will eliminate approximately 31,000 metric
tons of greenhouse gas emissions - the equivalent of
220 million passenger miles. The Eco-Skies Alliances
gives passengers the opportunity to contribute, too.
JetBlue achieved carbon neutrality on domestic
flights in 2020, mostly through carbon offset programs.
The company also committed to purchasing SAF from
Neste at San Francisco International Airport, a move
the airline hopes will help " kick-start " the SAF market
at SFO.
Continued on following page
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Avionics News July 2021

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