Sustainable Aviation Fuels Flight
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. It was a first for sustainable aviation fuel.
Virgin Atlantic says its flight from London to New York’s JFK International was powered by 100% SAF made from plant sugars and waste fats and emitted 70% less carbon than oil-based jet fuel.
Renewable Fuels Association head Geoff Cooper says it’s a good reason to smile …
COOPER … “That trans-Atlantic flight is a big deal for the industry. It is a major milestone. This is the first time we’ve seen that sort of flight powered by 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel.”
And while some in the media consider the SAF flight a ‘stunt’ … Cooper disagrees …
COOPER … “Well, it isn’t just a stunt. This is something we’re going to see become commonplace in the years ahead. We are probably several years away from seeing SAF used on a broad basis, especially at a hundred percent level blend. But most sustainable aviation fuel being produced today is chemically identical to the petroleum-based jet fuel that it’s replacing.”
Meantime, SAF is considered a “drop-in” fuel that can extend standard jet fuel …
COOPER … “So, you can blend it in with kerosene-based jet fuel. Again, typically, the level we see most commonly is 50 percent. But obviously, this project has demonstrated you can go all the way to one hundred percent.”
That is Renewable Fuels Association chief Geoff Cooper.
