The connection between agriculture, technology and aviation was front and center during a Global Aerospace Summit held in the St. Louis region in mid-August. During an engaging session titled “Ag Sector Innovations – Powering Sustainable Solutions in the Aviation Industry,” the audience learned how crops and ethanol are being developed into sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to help reduce emissions in one of the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors. Panelists highlighted innovations originating in the St. Louis region that are fueling progress on these efforts.
The panel was moderated by Andy Banker, anchor and reporter with KTVI Fox 2, and featured Dr. Yan Zhang, interim center director and director of research for the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Jim Hedges, CEO of St. Louis-based CoverCress, Inc. (CCI).
Dr. Zhang explained that since its opening in 2003, NCERC’s focus has expanded from corn-to-ethanol production to scaling up technologies for biopolymers and various other fuels, including SAF. She noted that NCERC is working on the alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) pathway, one of eight approved processes for SAF.
“Among the eight pathways in this country, the ATJ is actually a very, very promising way to make a jet fuel to meet the 3-billion-gallon per year mark by 2030 in this country using ethanol from corn starch,” Zhang said. “However, right now there are some challenges. We are not there yet.”
She said the No. 1 challenge the corn-to-ethanol industry is working on is trying to lower the carbon intensity score. “For us, we just need to push a little bit more on the reduction of carbon dioxide emission from fermentation,” Zhang said. “NCERC has a demo-scale project planned in six months. If the results look okay, we will contribute a lot to the development.”
Hedges described how CoverCress Inc., an ag-tech company, is converting a once-noxious weed into a commercially viable crop for renewable fuel. “In a startup world, don’t build a solution in search of a problem. At CCI, we have built a solution to answer a problem,” Hedges said. “The problem is there’s a huge demand for renewable fuel, in this case sustainable aviation fuel. The demand is going to outpace what we can do as an individual company or as a crop. We don’t view other crops as competitors. We want to lift all these solutions up to fulfill the demand, so that the demand doesn’t go away because there’s a lack of solutions.”
He explained that CoverCress, the company’s main crop, is the first new crop introduced in the industry since canola about 60 years ago. It grows between corn and soybean seasons, creating a new revenue stream for farmers while improving soil health.
Hedges highlighted the strategic advantages of the St. Louis region for SAF research and development. “I’ve been in five different startups and I’ve never had the level of talent that I have at CCI,” said Hedges. “The ecosystem of Ag Tech in St. Louis rivals anything in the United States.” He highlighted the proximity to key agricultural stakeholders, access to talent, and a strong innovation community through the Danforth Plant Science Center, 39 North, and BioSTL noting that the local ag-tech ecosystem makes it possible to connect research, commercialization, and farmers efficiently.
Beyond improving carbon intensity scores, both speakers also addressed additional barriers to scaling up SAF production, including retrofitting facilities and encouraging farmers to adopt new crops, and delivering fuel at a competitive cost. But Hedges indicated the change for farmers is very minor, essentially just a few adjustments on the harvesting equipment around small grains. “The grain infrastructure, as it is, is robust and it will satisfy, but we’re going to have to do some adaptation to that infrastructure,” he said. “As we start to scale the product into the hundreds of thousands of acres and into the millions of acres, it’s super competitive; competitive enough that the investors we have are Bayer, Chevron and Bunge.”
Despite the challenges, both panelists expressed optimism about the growing market for sustainable fuels from both commercial and military aviation. Dr. Zhang noted, “We are very proud that my team actually got funding through the Department of Defense to research making SAF-qualified ethanol with feedstocks from Hawaii and tropical islands in the Pacific Ocean. We have the trust and we can do a good job for the future.”
The session also explored the timeline for adoption of SAF in aviation. Both panelists stressed that while the industry is still in its early stages, demand is strong and commitments from industrial partners are real. “We’re at the infancy of that shift,” Hedges said. “Every industrial company involved in aviation is committed, and the funding and innovation will help change the next generation of travel and fuel. As we start into that process of helping deliver on the demand, I can’t even imagine how much different it’s going be 10 years from now.”
Dr. Zhang emphasized the importance of progress for future generations, noting that, as a mother of two, she can see ahead how the next generation will benefit from these changes. “It’s hard to predict exactly how quickly aviation fuels will evolve, but if you have the energy and talent to contribute to change, it feels good to be part of it,” she said.
Banker called attention to Avina Clean Hydrogen’s plan to develop a $280 million SAF facility in the Metro East. “We’re eager to see that project moving forward and look forward to seeing what great new milestones lie ahead for today’s panelists and the rest of this burgeoning SAF industry.”
The inaugural Global Aerospace Summit was presented by the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois in partnership with Madison County, St. Clair County, and Bi-State Development’s St. Louis Regional Freightway. It drew 400+ industry leaders, educators, government officials, workforce development experts and career seekers who also learned about the St. Louis region’s aerospace assets, its potential for continued growth and innovation and various initiatives to grow the workforce.
To learn more about Global Aerospace Summit, visit https://leadershipcouncilswil.com/gas2025/
