On July 31, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced the release of the first two parts of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) State-of-Industry Report. Released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in partnership with BETO, the report focuses on how to achieve the near-term fuel production goals set forth in the SAF Grand Challenge, a joint effort between DOE, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and other federal government agencies. Two parts of the report have been released:

• Part 1, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) State-of-Industry Report: State of SAF Production Process, examines the overall state of the SAF production process and covers challenges and gaps in meeting near-term targets associated with the SAF Grand Challenge. According to BETO, this segment of the report is designed to address broad challenges facing the bioenergy industry when producing SAF and is not specific to any single feedstock or production pathway; and
• Part 2, Sustainable Aviation Fuel State-of-Industry Report: Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Pathway, focuses on evaluating the current supply chain for the Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) pathway. BETO notes that facilities using this pathway “are already producing volumes of liquid fuel today, and they are expected to play a major role in meeting the 2030 production target from the SAF Grand Challenge.” This segment of the report examines potential obstacles that could hinder the commercial production and use of SAF from these facilities.

BETO states that NREL and DOE would like this report to be a resource for the emerging SAF production industry and to foster communication among the stakeholders involved in the SAF supply chain. According to BETO, additional sections of the report looking at other commercial and near-commercial pathways expected to contribute to near-term SAF volumetric goals “will follow in coming fiscal years.”