SAF Expert Insights with Blake Simmons, U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI)
Blake Simmons
Chief Scientific and Technology Officer
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U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI)
Scaling SAF unlocks far more than emissions reductions: it drives innovation, energy security, and economic opportunity. In this interview, Blake Simmons from JBEI explores promising feedstocks, breakthrough technologies, and the critical role national labs play in overcoming barriers to commercial deployment.
The sustainability criteria for SAF can vary, but is a defining feature. What other benefits can the scale up of SAF in the USA and beyond bring?
To me, the true power in the scale-up of SAFs is to learn by doing and to burn through the risks that stand in the way of full commercial deployment. In particular, the lessons learned during these efforts are critical in creating a robust SAF enterprise. The scale-up of SAFs in the USA and beyond can bring several benefits beyond its defining feature of sustainability. Some of these benefits include energy security, job creation and economic growth, increased fuel efficiency, diversification of feedstocks, technological innovation, and global cooperation and trade. To achieve these benefits, governments, industries, and stakeholders must work together to address the challenges associated with SAF scale-up, such as high production costs, limited feedstock availability, and infrastructure constraints.
What SAF-related breakthroughs are emerging from JBEI that you believe could be commercialized in the near future?
Great question. The Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) is a leading research institute in the development of advanced SAFs. For example, JBEI scientists have engineered microbes to produce advanced biofuels, including SAFs such as dimethylcyclooctane and bisabolene, from renewable biomass sources (e.g., switchgrass, sorghum, and poplar). This approach has the potential to be more efficient and cost-effective than traditional chemical synthesis methods. JBEI is also working on process intensification and optimization to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of SAF production. This includes the development of new catalysts, reactors, and separation technologies.
Which non-traditional feedstocks or conversion technologies show the most promise from a scientific and economic standpoint?
Several non-traditional feedstocks and conversion technologies show promise from a scientific and economic standpoint:
Municipal solid waste (MSW): MSW can be converted into SAFs through various technologies, such as gasification or pyrolysis. This approach can help reduce waste disposal costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Forestry residues: Forestry residues, such as sawdust and wood chips, can be converted into SAFs through various biochemical and thermochemical conversion technologies. Of particular significance is to harvest forestry residues generated by wildfire risk reduction programs and converting those materials into SAFs.
Agricultural residues: Agricultural residues, such as corn stover or wheat straw, can be converted into SAFs through various technologies, such as enzymatic hydrolysis or gasification. In terms of conversion technologies, to me the most important advance needed is the development and demonstration of those that are feedstock flexible that can handle a wide range of biomass feedstocks, including mixtures, with no loss of performance and yield.
What role should national labs and research centers play in supporting SAF scale-up alongside private investment?
National labs and research centers can play a crucial role in supporting the scale-up of SAFs:
Research and Development: National labs and research centers can conduct research and development to improve the efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of SAF production technologies.
Pilot-scale testing and demonstration: National labs and research centers can provide pilot-scale testing and demonstration facilities to test and validate new SAF production technologies, helping to de-risk private investment.
Technology validation and certification: National labs and research centers can provide independent validation and certification of SAF production technologies, helping to build confidence among investors, airlines, and regulators.
Process intensification and optimization: National labs and research centers can work on process intensification and optimization to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of SAF production.
Facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing: National labs and research centers can facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among industry stakeholders, academia, and government agencies to accelerate the development and deployment of SAFs.
Providing access to advanced facilities and equipment: National labs and research centers can provide access to advanced facilities and equipment, such as bioreactors, pilot-scale plants, and analytical instrumentation, to support SAF research and development.
Examples of national labs that are already playing a key role in supporting SAF scale-up include:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): NREL is working on the development of new SAF production technologies, including algae-based and agricultural residue-based pathways.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL): PNNL is working on the development of new SAF production technologies, including thermochemical-based pathways.
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL): Sandia is working on the development of new SAF production technologies, including bio-based and electrochemical pathways.Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL): LBNL is working on the development of new SAF production technologies, including microbial-based and enzymatic pathways.
How is JBEI addressing cost, emissions, and sustainability simultaneously in SAF research?
We take an integrated approach that uses techno-economic analysis to assess our progress against our five-year research objectives. This keeps us aligned to the critical S&T obstacles that must be addressed in order to ensure SAFs are affordable and scalable.
What are your biggest questions, or perceived challenges, in scaling up the production of synthetic fuels, including SAF, in the USA?
To me, the biggest questions and perceived challenges in scaling up the production of SAFs include feedstock availability and affordability, scalability and cost reduction, technological maturity and reliability, regulatory framework and policy support, infrastructure and logistics, financing, and industry adoption. Addressing these challenges will require a coordinated effort from industry stakeholders, governments, and research institutions to develop and deploy SAFs at scale.