Minnesota poised to power planes with pulp, not petroleum

Davidman with Delta Air Lines testified before the Minnesota House’s agriculture committee Feb. 10 about sustainable aviation fuel. (Photo: Andrew VonBank)

Can you fly airplanes with wood?

The answer is yes.

It’s a very qualified yes—and it may not happen for many years—but the potential exists to manufacture sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from residual wood products and other nonpetroleum-based sources that can reduce an airplane’s carbon footprint.

“The technology to fly airplanes with wood exists but needs to be scaled up to show the true potential,” Rick Horton, executive vice president of Minnesota Forest Industries, told the Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee at an informational hearing Feb. 10.

Other nonpetroleum sources that can be used to manufacture SAF include renewable feedstocks such as the food and yard waste portion of municipal solid waste; woody biomass; fats, oils and greases; and other feedstocks.

Horton was one of several testifiers who said using SAF to power airplanes is in its infancy and needs large-scale development—and probably government subsidies—to make it economically viable.

SAF currently costs two to five times more than conventional jet fuel, said Jeff Davidman, vice president of state and local government affairs at Delta Air Lines, but the demand is very high as many airlines seek to reduce their carbon footprint.

Although Delta used 12 million gallons of SAF last year, he said that’s a small fraction of what would be needed to reach Delta’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

The interest in using farm and forest products, waste products and byproducts is extremely high among many segments of the agriculture economy across the state, said Andrea Vaubel, deputy commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

“Minnesota has plenty of feedstocks ready to go,” she said. “We know that we are going to need everything and anything that’s available to meet the demand.”

She urged the committee to focus on legislation that will carry the SAF industry to the next level, specifically by continuing the tax credits that help agricultural producers adapt to producing new biomass fuel sources and attract new investors to the state.

“Companies across the country continue to look to Minnesota and our food and ag sectors for investments in innovation, and it’s important we continue investing in our nation-leading tax credits so companies know that Minnesota is where they should be making their home,” she said.