Sustainable Aviation Fuel Blending and Logistics

Abstract

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), recently released the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Blending and Logistics report. The report, the result of ongoing collaborations between NREL researchers and aviation industry stakeholders, offers information and recommendations for effective petroleum jet fuel (Jet A) and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) quality standards, transportation and supply chain movements, and blending methods. Notably, researchers determined that SAF can be mixed with Jet A at existing terminals (already equipped with blending equipment, software, and staff) and delivered directly to airports—resulting in increased efficiency across the SAF supply chain. In response to the changing needs of the expanding SAF market, this report provides a timely update to a 2021 NREL report, U.S. Airport Infrastructure and Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Since that report was published, additional SAF production facilities have come online, and more members of the aviation industry have committed to using SAF to meet their environmental and sustainability goals.