Sustainable Aviation Fuels

The Sustainable Aviation Fuels program (SAF) is taking practical steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from air travel by working across industries to build commercial scale supply chains for advanced biofuels – in the Northwest and around the world.

How will we Power the next generation of flight?

Advanced biofuels - proven to reduce emissions from flying by 50 to 80 percent - have been approved for use in commercial flight and will be a key driver of job growth and emissions reductions across the Northwest, and globally. 

Climate Solutions is working on several levels to establish successful and sustainable low carbon fuel supplies:

• Thought leadership and networking: Read our blogs, news stream, or connect on our mailing list.
• Policy support: We support legislation which will drive adoption of low carbon fuels, critical infrastructure, and long term investment in this field.
• Programs and projects: Our group facilitates and participates in regional "roadmapping" exercises for sustainable aviation fuels development around the world.
  
  

Watch this video on how homegrown biofuels can take off on the farm and in the sky:

Advanced, or second generation biofuels are sourced from existing waste streams and non-edible crops. These fuels have proven to reduce emissions from flying by upwards of 50 to 80 percent.  Feedstocks for these fuels include timber slash, agricultural residues, non-edible oilseeds, municipal solid waste, and even industrial waste gases such as carbon monoxide.  Climate Solutions works with partners to advocate and ensure that feedstock sourcing does not compromise sustainability ethics.

 On May 25, 2011, Climate Solutions along with Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Portland International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Spokane International Airport, and Washington State University released the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest (SAFN): Powering the Next Generation of Flight report.

The SAFN initiative also consisted of 40+ stakeholders such as biofuel producers, non-profit advocacy organizations, research institutions, government agencies, agricultural producers and other entities representing the biofuel supply chain.

Climate Solutions facilitated the stakeholder led initiative, coordinated the five workshops and took the lead in researching and writing the final report. Due to the stakeholders' diverse goals, expertise and experience, Climate Solutions' role required bridging divides and outlining a comprehensive 'flight path' (roadmap) that the stakeholders could agree to.

As the first regional assessment of its kind in the United States, the report examines the feasibility, challenges and opportunities for creating a commercially viable, sustainable aviation biofuels industry in the Northwest. It asses the feedstock pathways in the four-state area (WA, OR, MT, and ID) as possible sources for producing sustainable jet fuel. This includes evaluating the cost, timescale, water and land usage, refining, transport infrastructure and actual use by airlines. The feedstocks include agriculturally based oilseeds like camelina, forest residues, algae, municipal solid waste and others.