DOE Releases SAF Grand Challenge Roadmap Implementation Framework

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on November 20, 2024, the release of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge Roadmap Implementation Framework. Developed by an interagency team led by DOE, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the framework is a supplemental document to the roadmap. Whereas the roadmap identified the actions needed to achieve the goals of the SAF Grand Challenge, the framework provides SAF stakeholders with an understanding of what capabilities and programs federal agencies currently have in place to implement the roadmap actions. The framework also identifies existing gaps where additional effort, public-private partnerships, and support will be needed to meet the goals set forth in the SAF Grand Challenge. According to the fact sheet, the gaps include:

• Creating certainty in U.S. government policy to support build-out of SAF supply chains;

• Expanding data and analysis and improving models to perform transparent and credible SAF supply chain analysis to inform business models and policy development;

• Expanding purpose-grown feedstocks and tapping the potential of waste and residual feedstocks;

• Optimizing economically viable and sustainable feedstock supply chains;

• Using existing ethanol and petroleum industry infrastructure to scale up and deploy rapidly;

• Reducing risk and building coalitions; and

• Communicating SAF Grand Challenge progress and benefits transparently and effectively.

Organized by six roadmap action areas, the framework covers feedstock innovation, conversion technology innovation, building supply chains, policy and valuation analysis, enabling end use, and communicating progress and building support. DOE states in its press release that the SAF Grand Challenge interagency team is committed to supporting achievement of the SAF Grand Challenge goals as demonstrated through:

• Research and development of sustainable feedstock and fuel production technologies, providing support for technology scale-up and advancing environmental analysis of SAF;

• Support of U.S. farmers with climate-smart agriculture practices and research;

• Loan guarantees to commercial-scale SAF projects that utilize innovative technology to convert feedstock to SAF and avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gas emissions; and

• Provision of capabilities and funding to support SAF qualification, U.S. and international standard-setting, and development of infrastructure and transportation systems.