SAF Appropriations Coalition urges US government to prioritise multi-million SAF funding

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The SAF Appropriations Coalition has written to representatives of the US Senate and House of Congress Appropriations Committees, urging them to prioritise millions of dollars in federal funding for the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in the US.

The coalition comprises companies across the renewable fuel and business and commercial aviation sectors worldwide. The letter specifically refers to the need to support funding for the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the FAA’s NextGen Environmental Research programmes.

“Aviation is widely recognised as one of the hardest modes of transportation to decarbonise and SAF, an alternative jet fuel that is cleaner than conventional petroleum fuel, will play a key role in reducing this sector’s greenhouse gas emissions,” read the coalition’s statement.

Continued federal investments in research, development and demonstration are essential to lower costs, unlock new, cleaner ways of making these fuels and foster a competitive SAF market. With this foundation of support, the emerging SAF industry will also create jobs and provide new economic opportunities in rural communities across America.”

The investments desired by the coalition total $393.8m: $323m for BETO and $70.8m for FAA NextGen Environmental Research.

According to the coalition, BETO is one of the most important research and development programmes working on bioenergy in the federal government. It claims the work funded by this programme has made biofuels more affordable and has helped achieve significant emissions reductions too.

Grant funding from BETO has also been used by companies throughout the US to make SAF production more efficient and create new markets for feedstocks such as agriculture residues, municipal solid waste, waste oils and carbon dioxide.

The coalition added that FAA’s NextGen Environmental Research programmes are also essential to developing, scaling up and deploying SAF in the US. This includes the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) Program, which enables the FAA to enter into cost-sharing agreements with companies working on sustainable aircraft technologies.

“As you begin crafting the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills, we urge you to prioritise funding for these programmes to help support the growing SAF market in the US,” read the letter. “These investments will foster innovation, create jobs and make the US a leader in this emerging industry.”

The letter is addressed to Patty Murray, chair, Senate Committee on Appropriations; Susan Collins, vice chair, Senate Committee on Appropriations; Kay Granger, chair, House Committee on Appropriations and Rosa DeLauro, ranking member, House Committee on Appropriations.

Members of the SAF Coalition are:

Advanced Biofuels Association, Aerospace Industries Association, Air Company, Airbus, Airline Passenger Experience Association, Airlines for America, Algae Biomass Organization, Avfuel, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, The Boeing Company, Boom Supersonic, Cargo Airline Association, Delta Air Lines, Green Plains, Helicopter Association International, Infinium International, Air Transport Association, International Flight Services Association, JetBlue, LanzaJet, LanzaTech, National Air Carrier Association, National Air Transportation Association, National Association of State Aviation Officials, National Business Aviation Association, Port of Portland, Port of Seattle, Renewable Fuels Association, San Francisco International Airport, Southwest Airlines, SkyNRG, Third Way Travelers United, Twelve, United Airlines, U.S. Travel Association, Velocys, Verijet and World Energy

 

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