ASSESSMENT OF EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS (SAF) PRODUCTION

Abstract

Future sustainable aviation will depend on fuels that are certified as alternative jet fuels according to ASTM D7566. Its large-scale deployment is still pending because of high costs and low feedstock potential. However, demanding regulation especially in Europe will force a boost of production capacity very soon. Too many options regarding sustainable feedstocks, technologies and fuel blends make investment decisions challenging. A standardized techno-economic and ecological assessment methodology of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) production routes is presented, using an in-house software tool TEPET (Techno Economic Process Evaluation Tool). It helps to maximize the process efficiency, to identify cost drivers and to determine its environmental impact. Experimentally validated process models derived from European research projects are scaled to industrial plant size. For a realistic ramp-up of European SAF production by 2030 production costs, available technology options, GHG emission reduction and overall production potential will be presented, as well as the methodology to localize advantageous regions for European SAF production. A strategic outlook will be presented for a future European sustainable aviation. This approach can be applied to any region of the world for SAF production sweet spot search.