Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group

Bioenergy > Aviation > Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG)

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group is working to develop sustainable biofuels for aviation.

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, created in September 2008, is an initiative to promote sustainable, second-generation biofuels for the aviation industry.

Participants

The participants[1] in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group are:

Aircraft manufacturer:

Airlines:

Air France, Air New Zealand, ANA (All Nippon Airways), Cargolux, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, KLM, SAS, Virgin Atlantic Airways. On July 13, 2009 [2] new airlines have entered the group: Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, TUIFly and Virgin Group.

Environmental NGOs:

Other:

UOP LLC
- According to a press release, UOP (affiliated with Honeywell) "has already developed process technology to convert natural oils and greases to military jet fuel as part of a project funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The process technology produces 'green' jet fuel that is a drop-in replacement for traditional kerosene-based jet fuel and meets all the critical performance specifications for flight." {PDF file)

"Sustainability pledge" / Policy on jet fuel:
- The participants will follow the "Sustainability pledge" outlined in the document Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group - Our Commitment to Sustainable Options (PDF file)
- According to press reports, the group's policy on fuel requires biofuel used by participants "perform as well as or better than traditional jet fuel while leaving a smaller carbon footprint. Members also pledge to use only renewable fuel sources that require minimal land, water and energy to produce, and that do not compete with food or fresh water resources."ENN article

Sponsorship of research:
- The group supports research into sustainable second-generation biofuels, namely:
- Jatropha curcas (to be researched by Assistant Professor Rob Bailis of Yale University’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)[3]
- Algae (to be researched by NRDC)[4]

Note: See more aviation biofuel news at Aviation

More than 50 groups express support for Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels after EBB, eBIO walkout, 12 May 2010 by Biofuels Digest: "In Switzerland, more than 50 organizations expressed support for the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels after support letters were circulated following the withdrawal of the European Biodiesel Board and eBIO from the organization."
- "'We wish to express our continued support to the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) Secretariat for the multi-stakeholder process currently underway to develop a robust, usable meta-standard, and implementation system for biofuel sustainability,' began one letter from members of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group".[5]

Leading airlines team up for biofuel research, 30 August 2008 by BusinessGreen: "A group of leading commercial airlines has teamed up...in an attempt to develop and commercialise sustainable aviation fuels made from crops that do not affect food supplies such as jatropha and algae."
- "Together the airlines account for some 15 per cent of commercial jet fuel use globally."
- "Earlier this year, Virgin Atlantic completed the world's first biofuel-powered test flight of a commercial aircraft, while Japan Airlines is currently working with Boeing on launching cellulosic biofuel-powered flight."
- "The launch of the new group comes after it emerged that the UK government has been lobbying the EU not to include aviation in targets for the use of renewable fuels on the grounds it does not believe jet biofuels can be commercialised quickly enough to meet the 2020 targets."[6]

Boeing, Virgin join group committed to biofuel for commercial jets, 26 September 2008 by WBCSD/ENN: "Boeing joined Virgin Atlantic Airways and eight other airlines this morning to pledge to speed up the development of sustainable, second-generation biofuels for use in the commercial aviation industry."
- "As members of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, the aircraft maker and airlines will receive advice and support from both the World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council."
- "'This task force comes at just the right time to help airlines cut costs and decrease their greenhouse gas emissions,' said Liz Barratt-Brown, an NRDC senior attorney."
- "The group has announced two initial sustainability research projects to judge the viability of two leading contenders for biomass-based renewable jet fuel: Jatropha curcas and algae."[7]

	Transport - Related pages	edit
Aviation (Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group) \| Public transport

	Initiatives	edit
Sustainability standards Multi-stakeholder initiatives: Responsible Commodities Initiative, Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil International initiatives: International Biofuels Forum Public awareness and education initiatives: BioTour \| Greaseball Challenge

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