Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act

This bill establishes requirements for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from airplane flights. It also provides incentives for the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an alternative to conventional airplane fuel that is derived from a sustainable feedstock, meets certain aviation standards, and reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The bill establishes a national goal to reach net zero GHG emissions from flights by 2050.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must establish a low carbon fuel standard for aviation fuels. Under the standard, the EPA must set annual targets to reduce certain GHG emissions associated with aviation fuel by at least 20% by 2030 and 50% by 2050, as compared to 2005.

Beginning in FY2026, the Department of Defense must make a bulk purchase of an amount of SAF that is no less than 10% of the total amount of aviation fuel procured for operational purposes under certain circumstances.

Additionally, the bill reauthorizes through FY2030 a grant program of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for certain projects concerning SAF or low-emission aviation technology.

The bill (1) extends the clean fuel production tax credit for SAF through 2032, and (2) expands an energy investment tax credit to include SAF production property.

The bill also expands an FAA research program to include SAF and related topics.

Finally, the bill directs the Department of Energy to research the use of crops grown for conservation purposes rather than for sale in the production of SAF.