SAF Feedstocks

A variety of feedstock can be used to produce SAF. Under the CORSIA framework, such feedstocks are broadly categorized into five categories:

Primary and co-products are the main products of a production process. These products have significant economic value and elastic supply, (i.e., there is evidence that there is a causal link between feedstock prices and the quantity of feedstock being produced).
By-products are secondary products with inelastic supply and economic value.
Wastes are materials with inelastic supply and no economic value. A waste is any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard. Raw materials or substances that have been intentionally modified or contaminated to meet this definition are not covered by this definition.
Residues are secondary materials with inelastic supply and little economic value.

Under the CORSIA framework, by-products, wastes, and residues are entitled to an ILUC value of zero on the calculation of the Life cycle emission value of the SAF. Primary and co-products can also be entitled to zero ILUC value with the use of low LUC risk methodologies defined in Chapter 5 of the ICAO document "CORSIA Methodology for Calculating Actual Life Cycle Emissions Values".

The following table lists the feedstocks that are currently recognized in the ICAO CORSIA framework to produce SAF. Estimatives on economic aspects related to some of these feedstocks, such as yield and costs, are provided in the ICAO SAF Rules of Thumb.

ICAO is constantly assessing new feedstocks for SAF production, the process to request the consideration of a new feedstock is described in the CORSIA Supporting Document “CORSIA Eligible Fuels - Life Cycle Assessment Methodology”

References:

ICAO document "CORSIA default life cycle emission values for CORSIA eligible fuels" ("Default LCA values")

ICAO document "CORSIA Methodology for Calculating Actual Life Cycle Emissions Values" ("actual LCA methodology")

Feedstock	Classification	Reference
Palm fatty acid distillate	By-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology" Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Technical Corn oil	By-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology" Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Tallow	By-product	Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Beef Tallow	By-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Non-Standard Coconuts	By-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Poultry Fat	By-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Lard Fat	By-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Mixed Animals Fat	By-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Molasses	co-product	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology" Table 3, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Brassica carinata oilseed	Primary product	Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Camelina oilseed	Primary product	Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Corn grain	Primary product	Table 3, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 4, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Jatropha oilseed	Primary product	Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Miscanthus (herbaceous energy crops)	Primary product	Table 1, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 3, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 4, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Palm fresh fruit bunches	Primary product	Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Poplar (short-rotation woody crops)	Primary product	Table 1, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Rapeseed oilseed	Primary product	Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Soybean oilseed	Primary product	Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 6, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Sugar beet	Primary product	Table 5, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Sugarcane	Primary product	Table 3, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 4, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 5, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Switchgrass (herbaceous energy crops)	Primary product	Table 1, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 3, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 4, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Agricultural residues: Bagasse	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Agricultural residues: Cobs	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Agricultural residues: Husks	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Agricultural residues: Manure	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Agricultural residues: Nut shells	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Agricultural residues: Stalks	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Agricultural residues: Stover	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Agricultural residues: Straw	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Bark	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Branches	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Cutter shavings	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Leaves	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Needles	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Pre- commercial thinnings	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Slash	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Forestry residues: Tree tops	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Processing residues: Crude glycerine	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Processing residues: Crude Tall Oil	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Processing residues: Empty palm fruit bunches	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Processing residues: Forestry processing residues	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Processing residues: Palm oil mill effluent	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Processing residues: Sewage sludge	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Processing residues: Tall oil pitch	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Municipal solid waste (MSW)	Waste	Table 1, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"
Used cooking oil	Waste	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology" Table 2, ICAO document "Default LCA values" Table 6, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Waste gases	Waste	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology" Table 4, ICAO document "Default LCA values"
Wheat starch slurry	Residue	Table 1, ICAO document "Actual LCA methodology"