On November 7, 2023, a group of U.S. House representatives introduced the , legislation aimed at promoting the development and domestic production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). This bill is designed to create new markets for biofuels derived from U.S. crops and to standardize what qualifies as SAF for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The proposed definition for SAF stipulates that it must be a liquid fuel derived from specified biomass feedstocks and achieve a minimum 50% reduction in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions relative to traditional jet fuel.
The Act would reinforce SAF eligibility within three critical USDA bioenergy programs:
✓The Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program
✓The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), and
✓The Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels
The Act also endorses the use of the U.S. Department of Energy's GREET model for measuring life cycle emissions. The introduction of the Farm to Fly Act comes amidst under the Inflation Reduction Act, highlighting the government's focus on the role of corn-based ethanol in sustainable fuel production.
For more information about SAF to the SGS INSPIRE report.