Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge: Tracking Metrics and Mid-2024 Dashboard

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge is the result of the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other federal government agencies working together to develop a comprehensive strategy for scaling up new technologies to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) on a commercial scale.

The SAF Grand Challenge Roadmap outlines a whole-of-government approach with coordinated policies and specific activities that should be undertaken to achieve the SAF Grand Challenge goals. 

Progress made supporting the SAF Grand Challenge occurs when federal agencies release new funding opportunities and initiatives aligned with the SAF Grand Challenge Roadmap; provide expertise and technical assistance to industry; increase interagency collaboration; and provide data, modeling, and analysis to decision makers.

To track progress on achieving the SAF Grand Challenge goals, the following four metrics have been developed: 

1. Estimated total U.S. SAF production. 
2. Estimated life cycle CO₂ equivalent reductions achieved with U.S. SAF production and use. 
3. Planned production potential of SAF in the United States. 
4. Applicable research, development, demonstration, and deployment projects. 

SAF Grand Challenge Goal Progress

Since the SAF Grand Challenge was announced, annual SAF domestic production and imports have grown from 5 million gallons in 2021 to 93 million gallons through September 2024. 

Based on a database of active projects, between 2.6 and 4.9 billion gallons per year of SAF may be produced by 2030, creating a clear pathway to achieve the SAF Grand Challenge near-term goal.

Learn more by downloading the SAF Grand Challenge: Tracking Metrics and Mid-2024 Dashboard fact sheet.