Beginning the Farnborough International Airshow on a strong note, Boeing and Alder Fuels announced a new partnership to explore and expand sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the aviation industry. Alder, a process technology and project development company in the low-carbon energy industry, aims to commercialize a carbon-negative, scalable, and cost-competitive process to produce greencrude, which is made from forest and agricultural residues and other regenerative biomass.
In 2021, Boeing committed to deliver 100 percent SAF-capable airplanes by 2030. “As we work toward the civil aviation industry’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we know that seven hundred to one thousand times more SAF is needed in order to meet this goal,” said Sheila Remes, Boeing’s v-p of environmental sustainability. “We also know that according to the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. forestry and agricultural residues alone could provide enough biomass energy to generate enough SAF jet fuel to displace 75 percent of U.S. aviation fuel consumption.”
Using its aircraft, Boeing will support the testing and qualification of Alder’s greencrude through flight demonstrations. The partnership will also support and advance policies to smooth the transition to renewable energy and increase the available amount of SAF in the global aerospace industry.
Alder’s technology enables greencrude to be suitable for conversion into drop-in SAF, which means existing refineries can produce it. Compatibility with current petroleum refining and infrastructure helps meet the need for rapid and global scalability. “We can now scale up supply to meet the aviation industry’s demand,” said Alder CEO Bryan Sherbacow. “This partnership with Boeing will expedite SAF availability around the globe, advance policies that ensure sustainability and foster environmental justice, and cultivate local economies.”
Alder expects to complete its first production plant in 2024.