Imagine flying from Los Angeles to the Washington, D.C. region on a plane fueled with American farm products or forestry waste. Sounds farfetched? Well, it is already becoming a reality.
Thanks to U.S. production of sustainable aviation fuel, airlines can help address climate change and create rural jobs by using this fuel option. That’s why USDA, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Energy announced a “Grand Challenge” to support the production of 35 billion gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) per year by 2050.
The Grand Challenge is a government-wide effort to reduce costs, enhance sustainability, and expand production and use of SAF to meet 100% of U.S. aviation fuel demand by 2050. Produced from sustainable or renewable sources, this fuel works with existing infrastructure and can be mixed with petroleum-based fuels.
USDA has a crucial role in SAF research. One main challenge is sustainably producing enough biomass feedstock at the right price for conversion to SAF.
Another challenge is ensuring that the carbon and environmental modeling associated with fuel appropriately accounts for conservation practices used on American farms producing feedstock. To address these challenges, USDA is investing in research to develop energy cane, short-rotation woody crops, oilseeds and dedicated biomass crops, like perennial grasses. These crops can be used as cover to improve soil quality, as buffer strips to reduce nutrient runoff into watersheds, or as byproducts for animal feed. Additionally, biomass supply chains and biorefineries centered around regional feedstocks create jobs in rural communities.
Many USDA agencies have roles in sustainable aviation fuel development and commercial deployment. USDA is working with our colleagues across the federal government to develop strategies to achieve this new, joint initiative.
A bipartisan group of Midwest lawmakers is trying to ensure that SAF jet fuel made from agricultural commodities can be used in a pilot program for military aircraft. The lawmakers are proposing an amendment that would remove the restriction from the fiscal 2022 defense authorization bill, which is currently on the House floor.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
As with any new development, effective strategies will be key to ensuring a smooth development process and rollout over time. And, it is imperative that U.S. farmers are incentivized properly, thus ensuring production expands to meet the growing demand and that no other markets for vegetable oils are negatively impacted. This is just another example of why the future of U.S. agriculture appears to be such a bright star. SAF could truly be the next big deal! Expanded demand and production will eventually translate into greater net farm income. As any informed CAD member recognizes, this will lead to the potential for expanding truck sales to farmers/ranchers as commercialization unfolds.
