4 Things You Should Know About Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Written by Karl Francisco
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2 minute read

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Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is taking off as a promising solution for reducing the aviation industry's environmental impact. Here's a breakdown of what you need to know:

1. Beyond Biofuels: Diverse Feedstocks for a Sustainable Future
While used cooking oil has grabbed headlines, it's just one piece of the puzzle. SAF can be produced from a variety of renewable sources, including algae, agricultural waste, and even captured carbon dioxide. This diversity ensures a long-term, sustainable solution compared to relying on a single feedstock with limitations.

2. Scaling Up for Impact: Meeting the Growing Demand
The recent production increase of SAF is encouraging, but it's only a fraction of what's needed. Collaboration between governments, airlines, fuel producers, and researchers is key to accelerating research and development. This will help create new production methods and utilize diverse feedstocks to meet the industry's growing demand for sustainable fuel.

3. Green Credentials Matter: Ensuring Sustainability Throughout the Supply Chain
Just like the concerns about palm oil infiltrating the used cooking oil supply chain, ensuring truly sustainable production of SAF is critical. Lifecycle assessments and robust certification programs are essential to guarantee that SAF truly reduces the industry's environmental impact. This ensures a cleaner future for aviation, not just a reshuffling of environmental burdens.

4. Collaboration is Key: Working Together for a Sustainable Future
Addressing the challenges of SAF production requires a united effort. Governments can incentivize research and production, airlines can commit to using SAF blends, and fuel producers can innovate new methods. By working together, we can ensure SAF becomes a mainstream solution for a greener future of flight.

The SAF Revolution: A Broader Impact
The lessons learned and innovations developed in creating SAF can be a catalyst for other transportation sectors like maritime shipping. Sustainable biofuels are being explored to reduce the environmental impact of ocean vessels. Just as in aviation, collaboration between governments, researchers, and fuel producers will be key to developing and scaling up these solutions for a cleaner future across all transportation sectors.

Want to Learn More?
Sustainable aviation fuel is a complex but exciting field. If you're interested in how SAF can help your business or organization achieve its sustainability goals, reach out to an Expeditors representative. We can provide valuable insights and help you navigate the world of sustainable airfreight solutions.

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Blog was originally posted on July 2, 2024 7 AM

Topics: Sustainability, Aircraft, Air Transportation

Karl Francisco

Written by Karl Francisco

Karl started his career at Expeditors in 1984 when he was hired as a runner in the Los Angeles office. In 1992, he became the Los Angeles Import Manager and in 1994 was promoted to District Manager due to his great attitude, strong work ethic, and management skills. After five years as District Manager, Karl was promoted to Regional Vice President of the Southwest Region where he was instrumental in growing all of the offices in the Southwest region. His unique skills and management style enabled him to effectively mentor each of the District Managers reporting to him. Karl was promoted to Senior Vice President, North America in 2014. In this role, he successfully oversaw the Western United States and the Southern Border region, one of the largest regions of the company, with a continued emphasis on developing and mentoring those on his team. In May 2017, Karl was promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Ocean. In 2024, Karl was promoted to Senior Vice President of Global Air. His thirty plus years of logistics experience, expert management skills, geographical expertise and positive attitude all contribute to his visionary leadership of the Global Air team.

2 minute read