Resource-constrained valorization of lignocellulosic agricultural and forest residues for sustainable aviation fuel production: An integrated techno-economic and life cycle assessment

Abstract

Aviation is a hard-to-abate sector due to its reliance on high energy density liquid fuels, making sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) a key decarbonization option. However, large-scale deployment of SAF is constrained by limited feedstock availability and high production costs. Existing studies often rely on technical potential without fully accounting for biomass availability based on national statistics and supply constraints. This study evaluates a SAF production system based on lignocellulosic biomass in the Republic of Korea by incorporating actual resource availability and supply limitations at a system level. Agricultural residues were assessed alongside an e-SAF pathway based on CO 2 and hydrogen as a supplementary option. The process integrates chemical looping gasification with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and a stepwise approach distinguishing technical potential from usable resources was applied. Results show that total SAF production from wood chip and rice straw reached 177.5 and 80.1 tonne/day, respectively, reflecting differences in carbon conversion efficiency and total resource availability. The levelized costs were 1176 and 1944 US$/tonne SAF for wood chip and rice straw, respectively. Life cycle assessment indicated that global warming potential decreased to −0.58–-0.57 tonne CO 2 -eq./tonne SAF when co-product credits were included. Demand analysis revealed that wood chip can meet SAF demand in 2030 but fall short by 2035, requiring the co-utilization of rice straw. While e-SAF shows high costs of approximately 7096 US$/tonne SAF, it achieves net-negative emissions up to −4.02 tonne CO 2 -eq./tonne e-SAF and remains economically feasible up to a 65 % blending ratio in 2040. These findings highlight that SAF scalability is governed by biomass availability rather than process performance, emphasizing integrated resource utilization strategies.