NASA Speaks on SAF Developments | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-09.29.25

AirborneNextGen-
09.30.25

Airborne-Unlimited-10.01.25

Airborne-Unlimited-09.25.25

AirborneUnlimited-09.26.25

Tue, Jan 31, 2023

NASA Speaks on SAF Developments

Sustainable Fuel Production Insufficient to Meet Government Goals by 2030

The NASA administrator has affirmed the Biden admin's support for sustainable aviation fuel, announcing a partnership with Boeing to create a single-aisle, SAF-powered aircraft.

The Biden office has set a goal for the US to produce enough SAF to meet 100% of domestic jetA demand by 2050, when emissions from the industry are projected to make up a sizable proportion of the country's carbon emissions after decades of decarbonization in other sectors. Congress aimed to bolster SAF production in its 2022 package with a tax credit of $1.25 per gallon for jet fuel blended with a percentage of SAF, a step in the direction that will likely evolve over time to omit virgin petroleum as a feedstock altogether. The legislation also included $68 million in the fiscal 2023 government spending law to support carbon reduction efforts in the aviation industry, like provisions directing federal agencies to prioritize SAF research and development.

The boom in SAF production has continued to be outpaced now that legislators have begun to pay more attention to it, however. While companies from around the world have ramped up output of sustainable jet fuel, overall production remains somewhat niche and limited in availability, with an average of only 4.5 million gallons produced per year (2021). In order to meet White House goals, that number needs to climb to at least 3 billion gallons over the next 7 years. Take up also needs to improve, as Congress has attempted to solve with its foray into subsidies. Currently, awareness and availability are still low throughout the aviation industry, giving time for manufacturers to test their engines and aircraft on blended SAF and approve the combinations before widespread rollout.

SAF tends to sit at a pretty steep price point compared to standard jetA, like today's average of $9.30/gal SAF to $6.96 jetA in California. Sustainability and eco-friendliness are nice, but most Cost-conscious operators won't spring for an extra $2.34 a gallon for the warm fuzzies alone. Only economies of scale can bring that price down to reach, barring some full-on legal strong arming to strangle kerosene fuels out of the market, however unlikely. 

“The lack of sufficient supply [of SAF] is the biggest issue right now,” said Geoff Cooper, president of the Renewable Fuels Association. “There’s some stuff being produced, but it’s a very small volume, and until we get more production facilities up and running, the cost is going to be high.”

FMI: www.ethanolrfa.org

Advertisement

More News

Ticket Sales NOW OPEN for 2025 Affordable Flying Expo!

Check out https://affordableflying.net/attend/ Right Away and Get YOUR Tickets To the Affordable Flying Expo! OK.... with a little over a month to go, it’s time to get seriou>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (09.29.25)

"Amelia made it almost three-quarters of the way around the world before she suddenly, and without notice, vanished—never to be seen again. Her disappearance, almost 90 years>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (09.29.25)

Aero Linx: Cessna 150-152 Club The Cessna 150-152 Club has been the go-to place for information about the care and operation of the World’s Most Popular Two-Place Airplane si>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (09.29.25): Hover Taxi

Hover Taxi Used to describe a helicopter/VTOL aircraft movement conducted above the surface and in ground effect at airspeeds less than approximately 20 knots. The actual height ma>[...]

Airborne 09.26.25: Army Cuts AV-Ranks, 2025 ATC Hiring, AF Next-Gen Fighter

Also: Purdue In Space?, 4 SpecOps Lost In Helo Crash, Solid-Fuel Ramjet, Ultra-High Airspace Over FL The US Army recently confirmed its plans to thin out its active duty aviation r>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC