The Biden Administration said this week it is asking airlines for a 20 percent reduction in aviation emissions by 2020, according to Reuters News Service.
Airline have taken great strides to reduce their carbon footprint but as Reuters pointed out both the White House and the airlines are facing mounting pressure from environmental groups eager to see more discernible cuts and more tangible use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
But part of the problem right now is that sustainable aviation fuel is not only made in small amounts, it is considerably more expensive than standard jet fuel.
Biden said he is seeking a SAF tax credit as part of the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill being debated by Congress.
Biden officials were eying a target date of 2050 for weaning aircraft off fossil fuels, along with airline support for a voluntary target of 3 billion gallons of SAF in 2030.
"It is essentially an aspirational goal," said Dan Rutherford, aviation director at the International Council on Clean Transportation, an environmental research group based in Washington.
United Airlines announced on Thursday a record purchase agreement for 1.5 billion gallons of SAF over 20 years from Alder Fuels, under certain conditions, starting in 2025.
Alder Fuels Chief Executive Bryan Sherbacow said the size of the deal with United is doable because the fuels will be produced from forest and crop waste, which are less expensive than fats, used oils and grease which are in short supply.
"The big thing is expanding supply in addition to fat, oil and grease," Sherbacow said.
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