Decision Innovation Solutions today released a study of the economic impact on the Midwest if the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) goal of 35 billion gallons was met by 2050. The Midwest stands to benefit greatly as two of the most likely SAF feedstocks would be soybean oil and corn ethanol.
In order to reach the 35-billion-gallon goal, the study found that 63 new 200-million-gallon-per-year ethanol plants, 30 new ethanol-to-jet SAF production facilities and six new oils/fats SAF production facilities would need to be built.
DIS report author David Miller concluded, “SAF production provides a substantial opportunity for Midwestern states, Midwestern farmers, and Midwestern renewable fuel producers to prosper in the coming years if the SAF Grand Challenge comes to fruition and the Midwestern states take steps to be active participants in making the roadmap come to life. The pathway that DIS estimates most likely to be realized has [oils/fats]-based SAF and ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) being the two most prominent pathways for SAF production at least for the next 20 years.”
