The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is announcing $291 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for projects that will help achieve the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from aviation by 2050. The Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) grants include:

• “$244.5 million for 22 projects that produce, transport, blend or store sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and for scoping studies related to SAF infrastructure needs. These grants will expand SAF production, enhance SAF supply chains and increase SAF accessibility.
• $46.5 million for 14 projects that develop, demonstrate or apply low-emission aviation technologies. These grants will reduce carbon pollution, improve aircraft fuel efficiency and increase SAF use.

Examples of grant awards include:

• $16.8 million to Gevo, Inc. to convert an existing fuel facility in Luverne, Minnesota, to a fully integrated alcohol-to-jet facility for SAF production.
• $240,000 to the city of Atlanta to conduct a study of regional supply chains, infrastructure and distribution needs to enable SAF deployment at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
• $8 million to JetZero, Inc. to develop key enabling technologies for a highly fuel efficient blended-wing-body airplane.
• $2.7 million to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to build a test facility to mature high-power electrified airplane technologies.

Laurence Wildgoose, FAA assistant administrator for policy, international affairs and environment. said these projects “will be instrumental in advancing our environmental and economic sustainability goals by facilitating the development and implementation of sustainable aviation fuels.”