The Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) congratulates our fuels partner, Gevo, Inc. for ASTM International’s inclusion of Gevo’s alcohol to jet (ATJ) synthetic paraffinic kerosene (ATJ-SPK) into ASTM D7566 (Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons). This inclusion makes Gevo’s ATJ-SPK eligible to be used as a blending component, up to 30%, in standard Jet A-1 fuel used by commercial airlines in the United States and in many other countries around the globe.
As previously announced, Alaska Airlines is now poised to fly the first-ever commercial test flight using Gevo’s renewable alcohol to jet fuel. Gevo is preparing the shipment of ATJ-SPK to Alaska Airlines for this first flight.
Gevo is a member of NARA, which is led by Washington State University and is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Under the NARA program, Gevo has adapted its isobutanol and ATJ technologies to use cellulosic sugars produced from softwood biomass.
Using Gevo’s isobutanol and ATJ technologies, as well as Gevo’s production facilities in St. Joseph, MO, (isobutanol) and Silsbee, TX, (ATJ), NARA is currently producing 1000-gallons of synthetic paraffinic kerosene made from softwood feedstocks sourced in the Pacific Northwest. Alaska Airlines previously announced that, in addition to their agreement to fly the first-ever commercial test flight using Gevo’s renewable alcohol to jet fuel, they will also conduct a demonstration flight using NARA’s 1000-gallons of synthetic paraffinic kerosene made from cellulosic sugars. ASTM International’s inclusion of Gevo’s ATJ-SPK is a critical milestone to allow for the demonstration flight since it makes the synthetic paraffinic kerosene eligible for blending into Jet A-1.
“NARA congratulates the entire Gevo team for such a huge milestone”, says Michael Wolcott, NARA’s Co-director and WSU Regents Professor. “Their achievement not only contributes significantly to the NARA project, but also advances opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of fossil fuels and provides economic opportunities for the wood products industry here in the Pacific Northwest.”