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Knowledge Hub

Trending topics, key insights, and decarbonization FAQs. 

Partner Spotlight: Boston Consulting Group

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has committed to achieving net-zero climate impact by 2030. A collaboration with World Energy will help to meet these goals.

World Energy: A World of Difference

For over two decades, World Energy has led the way in sustainable biofuels and was the world’s first commercial-scale producer of sustainable aviation fuel.

Collaboration Across the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Value Chain

Sustainable fuels are in short supply, but collaboration across the value chain can change that. Here’s how it’s working in aviation.

Green Hydrogen 101

As governments, NGOs, and industries around the world continue to explore methods to reduce carbon emissions, green hydrogen has become increasingly prominent.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel 101

Understanding what SAF is, how it’s made, and the various production challenges and opportunities can help aviation leaders make informed decisions about green fuels.

Insets vs Offsets

Insets help promote long-term systemic change in the supply chain and require businesses to make a stronger commitment to reduce emissions.

How SAF Certificates Work to Reduce Aviation’s Carbon Footprint

Sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) solve key challenges that have stood in the way of decarbonizing aviation.

What is Book & Claim and Why Does It Matter?

Book & Claim is catalyzing the shift away from fossil fuels in hard-to-abate sectors and empowers customers anywhere to decarbonize their operations.

Five Things You Need to Know About Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a cleaner-burning fuel that has the potential to decarbonize aviation.

How Does It All Work?

We’re enabling companies to decarbonize their operations, regardless of their location or industry. 

Insets

We help companies meet their sustainability goals with solutions like sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc). These in-sector carbon reductions can help lower emissions across your value chain. 

Sustainable Fuels

We are a global leader in the production and supply of sustainable fuels. We pride ourselves on best-in-class carbon intensity, rigorous environmental standards, and transparent reporting.  

FAQs

What is SAF and how is it made?

SAF is a liquid, drop-in fuel currently used in commercial aviation. It reduces CO2 emissions by up to 85%. SAF can be produced from several sources, called feedstocks, including waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste, and non-food crops. 

For commercial aviation, there are currently eight different technology pathways that have been certified to produce SAF. World Energy uses the hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) process to turn waste fats, oils, and greases into sustainable fuels. Other processes include alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) which converts alcohols derived from plants like corn into SAF, and power-to-liquid (PtL), which is produced by combining clean hydrogen and carbon dioxide. 

How is SAF different than conventional jet fuel?

SAF is made from sustainable resources called renewable feedstocks. Its lifecycle emissions are significantly lower because it emits the same amount of carbon the feedstock absorbed during its lifecycle, thus closing the carbon loop. Conventional jet fuel is a fossil fuel and contributes to global levels of CO2 by emitting carbon that was sequestered underground.  

Can SAF be used in existing aircraft?

Yes. SAF is a drop-in fuel that can be used in existing aircraft with no modifications.  World Energy’s SAF is currently approved at a 50/50 blend level with conventional jet fuel for commercial use.    

What standards and certifications do World Energy’s facilities and fuels meet?

World Energy’s carbon intensity score leads the industry, and we comply with the most rigorous environmental standards. The management systems for our facilities and feedstocks are certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), an internationally recognized and trusted standards certification system organization.   

Our Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is certified in compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). It also follows RSB Global standards. This ensures rigorous accounting for the carbon inputs and other sustainability-related impacts associated with our fuels.    

Is there enough SAF to meet demand?

No. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), SAF accounted for only 0.2 percent of global jet fuel use in 2023. Collaborations and investments are key to making decarbonization a reality in aviation. Sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) are one of the fastest ways to help scale SAF production and technologies.  

What are SAF certificates and how do they reduce my company’s carbon emissions?

Delivered via Book & Claim, SAF certificates (SAFc) provides an efficient solution for displacing fossil-based jet fuel with SAF. SAFc deliver decarbonization benefits for Scope 1 or Scope 3 emissions in any sector.  

By purchasing SAFc, a company is purchasing the environmental benefits of SAF. Instead of transporting the physical fuel across the country, the fuel is used at an airport close to a production facility, minimizing the logistical burden, transport costs, and emissions.  

What is Book & Claim?

Book & Claim is a chain of custody model that allows us to decouple and track SAF’s environmental attributes separately from the physical fuel. With Book & Claim, the environmental attributes of the fuel are calculated, transparently tracked, and allocated to the appropriate owner. Book & Claim is recognized as a credible and necessary method to reduce supply chain emissions and scale the market for sustainable fuels.   

What are insets?

Insets are a mechanism that delivers carbon reduction in the same sector the emissions were created, giving companies the power to address their Scope 3 emissions. Sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) are a type of inset because they deliver carbon reduction within the aviation industry.  

What is the difference between insets and offsets?

Insets and offsets are both tools a company can use to reduce its carbon footprint, but they differ in both approach and impact.  

Insetting is a long-term strategy that requires deep commitment and planning. It enhances a company’s overall sustainability by reducing Scope 3 emissions and strengthening value chain resilience. 

Offsetting does not contribute to reducing operational emissions. It’s easier to implement and involves investing in external projects to counteract CO2 or GHG emissions, like renewable energy or reforestation.  

What is renewable diesel?

Renewable diesel (RD) is a 99.9% renewable fuel made from renewable inputs, including waste fats, oils, and greases. RD is chemically the same as petroleum diesel and can help reduce emissions by approximately 85%.  

What are the benefits of renewable diesel?

At 100%, RD contains no aromatics or impurities and allows fuel to combust at maximum efficiency. It offers better performance, reduced maintenance, cleaner burning, and no odor. RD also decreases the frequency of injector maintenance and diesel particulate filter replacements.   

How is renewable diesel used?

RD is designed as a drop-in fuel solution for heavy duty trucks and any marine vessel that can operate on #2 diesel fuel. It can be used in all modern diesel engines. 

What is green hydrogen and how is it used?

Green hydrogen is hydrogen that’s produced by using zero-carbon electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Green hydrogen can be used to replace fossil fuels in industries that are hard to electrify, like shipping, steel, and other hard-to-abate sectors.  

What is renewable naphtha and how is it used?

 Renewable naphtha is a fuel component that can be used to decrease the carbon intensity from various chemical processes including the creation of plastic, chemicals, and consumer goods.