Aviation
enterpriseTarget: Airline operators
If you are an airline dealing with strict carbon emission targets — this project developed best practices for three SAF production routes that help secure a steady supply of sustainable fuel.
ICARUS · Project
Scaling Sustainable Aviation Fuels through Optimized Biomass and Production Routes
transportTestedTRL 4
Imagine making jet fuel from plants and waste instead of oil. This work figures out the best recipes for turning things like algae or wood scraps into high-quality fuel. It's like finding the most efficient shortcut to make green fuel cheaper and easier to produce on a massive scale.
By the numbers
3
SAF production routes optimized
20
Consortium partners
12
Countries involved
The business problem
What needed solving
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is currently too expensive and difficult to produce at scale. Critical technology gaps in biomass conversion prevent these fuels from meeting international aviation targets.
The solution
What was built
A set of best practices and technical optimizations for three fuel routes: biocrude via hydrothermal liquefaction, isobutanol from lignocellulosic biomass, and synthetic Fischer-Tropsh from gasification.
Audience
Who needs this
Biofuel refineriesCommercial airlinesAgricultural biomass suppliersEnergy policy consultants
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Chemical Processing
mid-sizeTarget: Bio-refinery operators
If you are a refinery dealing with low yields from biomass — this project developed innovative solutions for biocrude and isobutanol processing that improve cost effectiveness.
Agriculture
SMETarget: Industrial crop producers
If you are a farm dealing with low land productivity — this project developed sequential and mix cropping concepts to increase the amount of sustainable biomass available for fuel.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
How will this affect the cost of sustainable aviation fuel?
The project aims to significantly improve the cost effectiveness of SAF to facilitate scaling-up and global market deployment.
Is this technology ready for industrial scale?
The project focuses on three value chains that are close to market deployment, though some specific technology innovations are still at a low TRL.
What IP or licensing opportunities exist?
Based on available project data, the project delivers guidelines, assessments, and best practices to be disseminated to global users.
What regulations are being addressed?
The project assesses feedstocks in line with RED II Annex IX Part A and analyzes policy landscapes across Europe and Mission Innovation Countries.
What is the timeline for these results?
The project runs from 2023-10-01 to 2026-09-30, with field testing for crop combinations occurring in the second reporting period.
Consortium
Who built it
The consortium is highly diversified with 20 partners across 12 countries, featuring a strong 30% industry ratio (6 companies). The inclusion of 5 partners from Mission Innovation Countries (Canada, India, Brazil) and advisory support from the USA indicates a high capacity for global market entry and cross-border technology transfer.
How to reach the team
Contact the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving Fondation in Greece
Next steps
Talk to the team behind this work.
Contact us to identify which of the 3 SAF production routes fits your current infrastructure.
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