The Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the Midwestern United States: Finding Alternatives to Crop-Based Biofuels

This research paper analyzes the economic and environmental potential of producing sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) using corn stover and e-fuels in the U.S. Corn Belt, contrasting these with conventional food crop-based biofuels.

• The sustainable harvest and processing of corn residues in the U.S. Corn Belt could produce three billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually, contributing between $9 billion and $32 billion to the regional GDP, provided there is policy support.
• Producing three billion gallons of jet fuel replacement would require between 18 and 89 million tons of corn stover, which falls within the estimated sustainable supply limit of 90 million tons.
• The adoption of SAF or CDR technologies in the Midwest to replace three billion gallons of jet fuel could generate significant annual economic benefits, including 99,000–214,000 jobs, $7 billion–$15 billion in labor income, and $4 billion–$10 billion in tax revenue.

APA

World Resources Institute (2026). The Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the Midwestern United States: Finding Alternatives to Crop-Based Biofuels. https://www.wri.org/research/future-sustainable-aviation-fuel-midwestern-united-states-alternatives-crop-based-biofuels

Chicago

World Resources Institute. The Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the Midwestern United States: Finding Alternatives to Crop-Based Biofuels. 2026. https://www.wri.org/research/future-sustainable-aviation-fuel-midwestern-united-states-alternatives-crop-based-biofuels.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=The Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the Midwestern United States: Finding Alternatives to Crop-Based Biofuels |date=8 June 2026 |url=https://www.wri.org/research/future-sustainable-aviation-fuel-midwestern-united-states-alternatives-crop-based-biofuels |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2026future, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{The Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the Midwestern United States: Finding Alternatives to Crop-Based Biofuels}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/future-sustainable-aviation-fuel-midwestern-united-states-alternatives-crop-based-biofuels}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }