On Dec. 9, 2023, The New Yorker ran an article about Sustainable Aviation Gas (SAF) however downplayed the environmental advantages of ethanol. Development Power CEO Emily Skor submitted the next letter to the editor in response:
Elizabeth Kolbert’s current article on sustainable aviation gas (SAF) cherry-picks info to retell a long-debunked narrative that misrepresents the state of the analysis on crop-based biofuels.
At least the Argonne Nationwide Laboratory and U.S. Division of Agriculture have concluded that corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gasoline emissions. With the implementation of climate-smart farming practices the Division of Power discovered that the GHG emissions of SAF made out of ethanol could possibly be 153% decrease than customary petroleum jet gas. Extra analysis has demonstrated, opposite to Kolbert’s breezy declare in any other case, that corn ethanol has not elevated meals costs or crop acreage—the truth is, corn acreage has been largely unchanged because the Nineteen Thirties. And but, in that point we’ve been capable of feed extra individuals and gas extra automobiles utilizing the identical quantity of land as a result of monumental will increase in crop yield.
Sure, SAF remains to be in its infancy. Guaranteeing its success would require quite a lot of funding and help from policymakers, however on the subject of corn ethanol and SAF there are causes for optimism. We must always pretty assess all our choices; in any other case, we threat steering ourselves towards a future stuffed with much more fossil fuels—one thing nobody desires.