Aviation Industry Support For Alternative Jet Fuel 
By: Robert C. Hackney
for Private Jet Magazine

March 2009

Two major initiatives are moving forward in the aviation industry in support of the development and use of alternatives to traditional jet fuel. The two major movements are the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group and the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative. While they sound about the same, there are a few important differences in these movements.

A major impetus for the creation of these movements seems to be that in 2006, for the first time in history, the single largest component of U.S. airline operation costs became the fuel component. Industry experts indicate that there are 75,000 scheduled commercial flights per day in the world. While the aviation industry does not account for nearly as much carbon dioxide as motor vehicles (about 1/9), it has a substantial impact, since it affects the upper atmosphere. The release of so much carbon dioxide into the upper layers of the atmosphere creates a large negative environmental impact. So, taking into account rising costs and environmental concerns, the development of cost effective alternative fuels that reduce greenhouse gas emissions is at the top the aviation industry's hit list.

We will attempt to explain the differences between these two loosely assembled groups. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group was announced in September 2008. It consists primarily of ten airlines that account for 15% of commercial aviation fuel demand. Advising the group are two major environmental groups, the World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The Group has agreed to various commitments which will be verifiable. The first of thesecommitments is that the development of such fuels will be made in a way that is non-competitive with food sources, and will not jeopardize drinking water supplies. In addition, they will consider the total lifecycle of greenhouse gas emissions which means that they will look at how plants are grown, harvested and processed, not just their effect upon use. In developing counties, they have committed to improve socio-economic conditions for local farmers and not displace local populations. Finally, they agree not to clear high conservation areas such as tropical rainforests to develop plants for jet fuel production.

The development of government policies to promote the use of sustainable, low carbon aviation fuels is also one of the goals of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group. An international consortium, known as the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, has developed principles and criteria for sustainable biofuel production, which the Group has agreed to adopt, along with the requirement to third party verification. These criteria are referred to as “Version Zero.”

The Group is focused on supporting research into two potential bio-fuel sources that meet their standards and criteria; jatropha curcas and algae. Bio-fuels from these two sources are hoped to perform as well as traditional jet fuel while leaving a smaller carbon footprint.

The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, or CAAFI, is a much broader spectrum group that is united in a much looser fashion than the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group. The CAAFI has much more diverse participants, and its goals are to share and collect data and “motivate and direct research on aviation alternative fuels.” The CAAFI also has a “specific goal of enhancing the energy supply.”

Participants in CAAFI include government agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA, the Department of Transportation and, of course, the Federal Aviation Administration. Other participants include fuel suppliers, airlines, universities and various trade associations which represent manufacturers, airlines, airports and other aviation trade groups.

A main focus of the CAAFI is creating standards for certification and qualification of alternative fuels. As part of this focus the group's goals include planning for certification of a 50% synthetic fuel in 2008, a 100% synthetic fuel in 2010 and bio-fuels in 2013. They are also involved in educating the public and private sectors and disseminating flight-test information on synthetic fuels and bio-fuels. Like the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, the CAAFI also supports research and development on low carbon fuels sourced from plants, algae and biomass. The CAAFI holds an annual meeting to assess the status of alternative fuel development and to identify areas of focus for the future.

In summary, the CAAFI is more of a broad based, industry wide, networking group that shares information and works on creating industry standards and criteria, while the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group is a more closely knit group of fuel consumers, more focused on the actual research and development of alternative fuels. Obviously, both groups overlap, and both provide support and incentive for their participants to develop sustainable jet fuel alternatives.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group
Terrance Scott
Boeing Commercial Airplanes

About the Author:
Robert C. Hackney practices law in Palm Beach County, Florida, and also serves as Executive Director of the Alternative Energy Association, a Florida not for profit corporation. He has lectured and authored a number of publications including The Energy Revolution – 277 Things Every American Needs to Know About the New Energy Paradigm. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the International Green Technology Center, and represents a number of companies active in the alternative energy industry. Information about the Alternative Energy Association can be found at http://www.alternativeenergyassn.com/