Corn and soybean farmers across the Midwest look to benefit from another byproduct of their fields.
Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is made from non-petroleum feedstocks that reduces emissions from air transportation. It takes about 1.5 gallons of ethanol to make one gallon of sustainable aviation fuel.
All conventional aircraft are capable of flying on a maximum 50% blend of SAF and jet fuel. However, by 2030, it is expected that a large portion of airplanes will be capable of flying with up to 100% SAF.
At the Illinois Manufacturing Association’s (IMA) Illinois Future of Fuels: Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Beyond Conference, Governor J.B. Pritzker said the state is positioned to be a major player in the aviation fuel-producing market.
“The ecosystem that we’ve built for sustainable fuel development is really second to none,” said Pritzker. “From agricultural commodities to refiners to consumers, Illinois is a leader at every step of the sustainable fuel supply chain.”
Beyond the strong ecosystem, Illinois currently offers a $1.50 per gallon tax credit on each whole gallon of SAF purchased in the state.
Last year, United Airlines purchased one million gallons of SAF at O’Hare International Airport. O’Hare is the fifth airport in the world where United has purchased SAF for operational use. Southwest signed an agreement with Valero to purchase a minimum of 3.6 million gallons of neat SAF – about 12 million gallons blended – for use in its operations at Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW). As part of the agreement, the company has the option to purchase up to 25 million gallons of neat SAF – about 84 million gallons blended – over the agreement’s term. On a blended basis, this would represent up to 35% of Southwest’s jet fuel out of MDW based on the carrier’s usage in the last year.
Similar use can be seen in places like JFK International Airport in New York, where JetBlue purchases SAF. Delta, United, and a number of other airlines are also purchasing SAF at LAX. California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is helping to drive demand in California by lowering the cost the finished fuel.
The Department of Energy set a goal to achieve 3 billion gallons of SAF production by 2030, and 35 billion gallons by 2050. To qualify for United States federal tax credits, SAF must meet a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Dave Loos, Director of Biofuels and Research with the Illinois Corn Growers Association, says the state is well positioned to take advantage of the SAF market.
“The feedstock is there and our ethanol plants are set up to produce much more than we’re producing now,” said Loos.
Other states, including Minnesota and Nebraska, have passed similar incentives for the production and/or use of SAF. States like Michigan and Indiana are also working on incentives to promote the use of locally produced SAF.
Originally shared by AdvantageNews.com. Title and article updated for clarity and purpose.