Chicago rises as a leader in sustainable aviation fuel

The Midwest and Chicago in particular are emerging as leaders in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), positioning the area as a hub for innovation in the aviation industry. This was a key takeaway from Chicago Climate Tech Week, where industry leaders like LanzaJet and Southwest Airlines highlighted the region's potential for decarbonizing aviation fuel.

Anthony Gregory, COO of Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures, underscored the Midwest's and specifically Chicago’s strategic advantages: "You're well located, with feedstocks nearby, you can locate fuel production nearby, and have the infrastructure to move the product," Gregory said during an SAF panel, according to the Chicago Business Journal.

Bill Bodine, director of business and regulatory affairs at the Illinois Farm Bureau, highlighted Illinois's significant ethanol production capacity. With Illinois being the second-largest producer of corn in the U.S., the state could provide the necessary feedstocks for SAF production.

Corporate investment in SAF

Southwest Airlines has invested $30 million in LanzaJet, a Chicago-based climate-tech startup that recently opened the world’s first alcohol-to-jet SAF production plant in Georgia. "We think LanzaJet has an incredible opportunity to scale as part of our investment," Gregory mentioned, as reported by the Chicago Business Journal.

LanzaJet specializes in converting ethanol into SAF and renewable diesel. Its Georgia plant produces 10 million gallons annually, including 9 million gallons of SAF. "The 17 billion gallons of ethanol produced in the US per year is still not enough to produce the 25 billion gallons of jet fuel that airlines consume," Gregory added.

Despite the challenges, SAF production is on the rise, with global volumes reaching 158 million gallons in 2023, per the International Air Transport Association. Southwest aims to replace 10% of its total jet fuel consumption with SAF by 2030, moving toward a net-zero target by 2050.

While the transition to SAF is still ongoing, notable strides are being made. More than 800,000 commercial flights have been flown using SAF, according to Meg Whitty, vice president of corporate affairs and marketing at LanzaJet.