Keys to sustainable fuels

Fully scaled production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will enable the aviation industry to achieve its net-zero ambitions, but how to do this remains an unsolved challenge.
At the same time, the last decade has seen intense innovation in the SAF industry, with major breakthroughs in production technology and new feedstock utilisation pathways.
If these innovations can translate into commercial projects, there will be a step change in SAF adoption.
One of the keys to this step change is a smart feedstock strategy that emphasises flexibility to unlock the full potential of the world’s abundant waste carbon streams and accelerate scale up.
The need for feedstock diversity
Many SAF projects struggle with feedstocks that are too expensive, too scarce, or both.
Today SAF is overwhelmingly produced using the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) process, which converts waste fats, oils and greases from sources like used cooking oil and animal fats.
Some synthetic jet fuel is also produced via the HEFA process using crop-based feeds like canola oil and soybean oil, but because such feeds compete with...