Happy fall, y’all! Welcome to our aviation industry news brief, where we take a brief look at the biggest news stories from aviation in recent weeks. Here’s a look at the news for September.
SAFFiRE Renewables Breaks Ground on Pilot Plant to Produce Low-Carbon Aviation Fuel in Kansas
SAFFiRE Renewables has officially broken ground on its pilot plant at Conestoga Energy’s Arkalon Energy facility in Liberal, Kansas. This plant marks a major leap in the journey to convert corn stover into low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Once operational, it will process 10 tons of corn stover daily, producing cellulosic ethanol, which can be upgraded into SAF with a carbon footprint 83% lower than conventional jet fuel.
The groundbreaking event featured notable attendees, including Sen. Jerry Moran, Sen. Roger Marshall, FAA Deputy Regional Director Debra Sanning, and CEO of Growth Energy Emily Skor, among others. This initiative is supported by funding from Southwest Airlines and the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office.
SAFFiRE's CEO, Tom Nealon, expressed excitement for the project, targeting Q4 2025 for the plant’s completion. This plant is expected to be a game-changer for the biofuels industry and a significant boost to the economy.
To learn more about SAFFiRE’s groundbreaking technology and view renderings of the pilot plant, read the full article [here].
Colombian Airlines Resume Operations After Jet Fuel Shortage Crisis
Colombian airlines Avianca and Latam Colombia announced that they will resume full flight schedules by Wednesday, after facing potential cancellations due to jet fuel shortages. On Monday, Avianca confirmed that its main fuel supplier lifted restrictions, allowing the airline to operate normally and resume ticket sales. Latam Colombia, which had earlier canceled 36 flights, will also return to normal operations.
The crisis began after a power outage on August 16 disrupted jet fuel production at Ecopetrol’s Cartagena refinery. Despite President Gustavo Petro's assurances that there was no fuel shortage, the situation led to widespread passenger disruptions. Ecopetrol has since imported 100,000 barrels of jet fuel, stabilizing supplies.
Avianca's CEO Federico Pedreira expressed relief but emphasized the importance of better communication within the supply chain to prevent future issues.
For more details on how this situation unfolded, read the full article [here].
Wreckage and Remains from 2007 Lake Huron Plane Crash Discovered
Wreckage and human remains from a plane crash that occurred 17 years ago in Lake Huron have been discovered, Michigan State Police confirmed. In August 2007, pilot Karen Dodds and her fiancé, H. Brooke Stauffer Jr., disappeared while flying from Mackinac Island. While Dodds’ remains were found two months later, the plane and Stauffer remained missing.
In October 2023, Great Lakes Search & Recovery resumed the search at the family's request and located the wreckage near Bois Blanc Island. Divers recovered skeletal remains, identified as Stauffer's.
For more details on this discovery, read the full article [here].
New Tax Credits Propel Sustainable Aviation Fuel Industry Forward
Dave Ripplinger, a bioproducts/bioenergy economist at North Dakota State University, calls new tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) a "watershed moment" for the industry. Recent developments make ethanol and soy-based biofuels eligible for tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The Energy Information Administration projects a significant rise in domestic SAF production capacity in 2024, from 30 million gallons to 460 million gallons annually. While this is less than 2% of U.S. jet fuel use, it’s a substantial leap for the young industry.
The growth will primarily come from hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a process similar to renewable diesel production. This expansion will require 3.6 billion pounds of feedstock, equivalent to 300 million bushels of soybeans. Ripplinger highlights the importance of these tax credits, which will shift after 2023 to incentivize further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
To dive deeper into how these changes will impact the SAF industry and agriculture, read the full article [here].
