Aviation, agriculture leaders form new group researching sustainable jet fuel production

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The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition will develop a new biofuel using timber and farm waste products.

Credit: Amanda Andrews / GPB News

As the cost of fuel rises, a coalition of aviation companies and agricultural groups are partnering to produce a sustainable jet fuel in Georgia.

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition includes Delta Air Lines, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Georgia Forestry Association, and the Georgia Farm Bureau. The group will research, develop, and produce a new biofuel using timber waste, and farming materials.

Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said this will be a boost for industries that are still recovering from Hurricane Helene. 

“We're building markets for producers, for timberland owners and meeting a demand for businesses like Delta that ensures that they're addressing concerns of their customers and others. So it is a win-win for us and it couldn't come at a better time.”

Over the next year the SAF Coalition will be working towards having a product demonstration. Metro Atlanta Cahmber CEO Katie Kirkpatrick said she thinks that’s achievable.

“Our first steps will be to create functional groups that will zero in on research, policy, feedstock and supply chain, partner outreach, and perhaps more,” Kirkpatrick said. “We will identify supply and demand, identify the obstacles and barriers, hire a dedicated GRA scholar, which will be at Georgia Southern.”

A panel of SAF partners also identified challenges that the group will navigate. Charlotte Lollar is the director of SAF and Emissions at Delta. She said the demand is there, but the challenge will be making enough biofuel at the right price to meet it.

“So availability is definitely a challenge, and with nascency comes costs,” Lollar said. “Right now it is very, very expensive. And that's why having underpinning policy support to help ramp up and scale and ultimately reduce those costs is critical.”

State Legislators recently passed House Bill 134, known as Keep Georgia Forested Act. The bill created new income tax credits for forestry manufacturing facilities to support renewable fuels.

Delta Air Lines President Peter Carter said the coalition has all the right partners to be successful.

“I am confident that in a handful of years, the state of Georgia will be among the leaders in the SAF economy,” he said. “And what does that mean? It means in a handful of years, I think every flight at Hartsfield-Jackson is gonna be fueled in part by sustainable aviation fuel.”

Delta Air Lines is aiming to use 100% sustainable fuel by 2050. The SAF coalition is estimating locally made sustainable fuel will be at Hartfield-Jackson airport within 5 years.