This research reports a catalytic process to convert waste feedstocks—including food waste, sewage sludge, manure, agricultural residues, and carbon dioxide—to hydrocarbon components of SAF. The natural breakdown of waste emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas, but this process can be redirected to make carboxylic acids (also known as volatile fatty acids, or VFAs). These are upgraded to hydrocarbons over commercially available catalysts via ketonization and hydrodeoxygenation, a process known as VFA-SAF. Life cycle analysis shows that eliminating methane production gives this technology net negative greenhouse gas emissions.
