Research evaluates most suitable crop-based feedstock for SAF

In California, Berkeley Lab reported that a recent study by researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Sandia National Laboratories revealed which crop-based feedstocks offer the greatest potential for a cost-competitive, renewable alternative to petroleum-based jet fuel, while also maximizing atmospheric carbon removal. 

The scientists conducted the research for the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a DOE Bioenergy Research Center managed by Berkeley Lab.

The JBEI analysis examines the potential of three high-yielding biomass crops – Miscanthus, sorghum, and switchgrass – to provide feedstocks for commercial-scale production of SAF. Simulation and modeling explored the interplay and tradeoffs between bioenergy, production volume, carbon removal, and fuel prices. Scientists selected the feedstocks for the study because all three can be grown without irrigation on farms across the United States, and can be readily converted into high-performance dimethylcyclooctane jet fuel, Berkeley Lab said.

“Identifying the most promising SAF feedstock candidates for a specific location requires evaluation of everything from soil properties to weather patterns, infrastructure, and market factors,” said Sagar Gautam of Sandia National Laboratories, lead author of the study.

The team integrated agroecosystem, techno-economic, and life cycle modeling to identify likely locations for biomass cultivation and estimate how SAF production system costs, life cycle GHG emissions, and the weighting of soil carbon accumulation might impact crop choices. In the near-term, Miscanthus appears to be a strong option for SAF, with potential for yields two to three times that of switchgrass and sorghum. Miscanthus similarly could sequester more carbon, result in fewer GHG emissions, and be less expensive to produce – depending on the growing region, the fuel market, and carbon removal incentives, Berkeley Lab added.

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