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Fact Sheet

Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative

Supporting solutions for secure and sustainable aviation

Background
The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) was established to enhance energy security and environmental sustainability for aviation by exploring the potential use of alternative fuels. CAAFI provides a forum for the U.S. commercial aviation community to engage the emerging alternative fuels industry and to work together, share and collect needed data, and motivate and direct research on aviation alternative fuels.

CAAFI’s participants are drawn from all elements of the international commercial aviation industry, fuel suppliers, universities, and U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of Transportation (DOT), Defense (DOD), Energy (DOE) and NASA. The initiative’s sponsors are:

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Environment and Energy
• Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), representing airports
• The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), representing manufacturers
• The Air Transport Association (ATA), representing U.S. airlines

Goals
In 2006, for the first time in history, fuels became the single largest component of U.S. airline operating costs. U.S. commercial aviation consumes less than 3 percent of U.S. total energy use, but drives about 6 percent of the U.S. gross economic output and just under 9 percent of national employment. Secure and sustainable fuel sources are essential for its continued prosperity. Meanwhile, concerns have risen internationally about the environmental impacts of aviation growth.

CAAFI’s specific goals are to promote the development of alternative fuel options that offer equivalent levels of safety and compare favorably with petroleum-based jet fuel on cost and environmental bases, with the specific goal of enhancing the security of energy supply.

Accomplishments
CAAFI participants are evaluating alternative fuels in four areas:

• Certification and Qualification — to ensure the safety of any alternative fuels given the demanding environment posed by aviation operations.
• Research and Development — to cover a broad range of potential sources and technologies in developing alternative fuels.
• Environment — to assess the broad environmental impacts of any alternative fuel options developed.
• Business and Economics — to evaluate the market and business case for use of alternative fuels compared with conventional ones.

CAAFI meets annually to update the state of alternative fuel developments in these areas, identify gaps and hurdles, and decide on next steps required in the research, development and deployment process. Work to date includes:

• Creating roadmaps to communicate aviation needs and solutions
• Disseminating flight-test data on synthetic fuels and bio-fuels
• Supporting research and development on low carbon fuels sourced from plant oils, algae and biomass
• Understanding life cycle environmental impacts of production and use of alternative fuels
• Planning for certification in 2008 of a 50 percent synthetic paraffinic kerosene fuel, 2010 for 100 percent synthetic fuel, and as early as 2013 for additional “drop-in” bio-fuels
• Developing a handbook for calculating environmental and economic benefits and costs of alternative fuels for airports
• Educating the public and private citizens on the unique needs and practical solutions for aviation in the area of alternative fuels