(The Center Square) – Corn and soybean farmers in Illinois 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 this week’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Beyond Conference in Rosemont, Illinois Gov. 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.”
Last year, United Airlines announced plans to purchase one million gallons of sustainable jet fuel at O’Hare International Airport. O’Hare is the fifth airport in the world where United has purchased SAF for operational use. JetBlue is currently using SAF at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
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.
