Quantifying the Challenges of Adopting Sustainability Criteria for Biofuel Production

This case study investigates the obstacles to certifying sustainable alternative fuels (SAFs) for commercial aviation, identifying barriers related to indicator flexibility, market incentives, feedstock types, and auditor expertise.

• The study identifies four primary challenges to the certification of sustainable alternative fuels: a lack of flexibility in environmental and social indicators regarding local conditions, the absence of guaranteed sizeable markets or price premiums for certified fuels, the increased complexity for producers using agricultural or forest-based resources compared to those using non-agricultural or non-forest wastes, and a lack of experience among auditors regarding new certification schemes and unique social requirements.
• To improve economic viability and fuel availability, the document suggests prioritizing SAFs derived from non-agricultural or non-forest wastes, such as municipal solid waste and industrial waste gases, because they offer lower operating costs and reduced social and environmental impacts compared to agricultural and forest resources.
• Future research priorities include analyzing the challenges of global sourcing for certified SAFs, understanding customer expectations and claims regarding sustainable flying, and creating an online commercial platform to promote the worldwide trade of certified SAFs.

APA

Serafini,, J. P. (2016). Quantifying the Challenges of Adopting Sustainability Criteria for Biofuel Production. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quantifying-challenges-adopting-sustainability-criteria-biofuel-production

Chicago

Serafini,, Jason Potts,Damiana. Quantifying the Challenges of Adopting Sustainability Criteria for Biofuel Production. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2016. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quantifying-challenges-adopting-sustainability-criteria-biofuel-production.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Serafini, |first1=Jason Potts,Damiana |title=Quantifying the Challenges of Adopting Sustainability Criteria for Biofuel Production |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=23 August 2016 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quantifying-challenges-adopting-sustainability-criteria-biofuel-production |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{serafini2016quantifying, author = {Serafini,, Jason Potts,Damiana}, title = {{Quantifying the Challenges of Adopting Sustainability Criteria for Biofuel Production}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2016}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quantifying-challenges-adopting-sustainability-criteria-biofuel-production}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }