Biological production of synthetic aviation fuels (SAFs) from biomass

Abstract Synthetic aviation fuels (SAFs) produced from biological routes are emerging as a practical way to decarbonize the aviation sector. This review summarizes progress in producing jet-range molecules from renewable carbon and benchmarks them against the Jet A and Jet A-1 property window defined by the standard specification for aviation turbine fuels (ASTM D1655). We group candidates into three families, fatty acid-derived streams, alcohol-based precursors, and isoprenoid-derived hydrocarbons, and map their properties and upgrading chemistry to the standard specification for aviation turbine fuel containing synthesized hydrocarbons (ASTM D7566) certification framework. We survey diverse microbial hosts on renewable feedstocks and highlight advances in pathway and chassis engineering and bioprocess intensification that raise titers, productivities, and carbon efficiency. Together, these advances chart a practical route to certified, scalable, and cost-competitive SAF supply.