WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — Ethanol’s role in decarbonizing global transportation took center stage Tuesday at the Global Ethanol Summit (GES) in Washington, D.C., where industry leaders and scientists explored new frontiers in sustainable fuel applications — from jet fuel to shipping. Former U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz opened the day by emphasizing ethanol’s central role in the energy transition, calling it “the only scalable, low-carbon, affordable fuel available today.”
The day’s sessions reflected growing interest in ethanol’s compatibility with aviation, maritime, and advanced vehicle systems. Panels led by experts from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Cruise Lines International Association, and Growth Energy examined both policy and infrastructure needs for scaling ethanol-to-jet (SAF) and marine fuel production. Industry leaders noted that more than 100 million tons of ethanol are already produced annually — a figure that could double as global shipping seeks cleaner fuels.
Airline representatives from Delta, United, and Airbus said collaboration will be essential to expand sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which currently accounts for less than 1 percent of U.S. jet fuel demand. “Every bit of that 22 billion gallons of annual jet fuel use is something the ethanol industry could eventually serve,” said Tom Michels of United Airlines.
GES concludes Wednesday with sessions focused on affordability and scaling the global bioeconomy — reinforcing the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council’s message that ethanol remains central to both environmental progress and rural prosperity.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Bioethanol continues to gain ground as the bridge fuel connecting agriculture, aviation, and maritime industries in the global shift toward lower-carbon energy.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Expert
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