Quantifying the Circularity of a Bioeconomy: A Case Study for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pathways in the United States

Abstract

Decarbonising the aviation sector remains a challenge because long-haul flights rely on liquid fuels. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), a conversion process that utilises elevated temperatures and pressures to produce biocrude from wet biomass, is a potential pathway for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Through valorisation of biowaste, SAF pathways may improve circularity by increasing the use of renewable and recovered resources. However, standard lifecycle methods do not quantify resource circularity. Here, a scalable circularity index (0%