Grants totalling $291 million awarded through the Fuelling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) program in the US have given an insight into where and how the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry is expanding across the country, Fastmarkets has heard.

The grant program, created by the US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, fully allocated all available funds to 36 projects across 23 states, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on August 16.

The largest single award, for $50 million, was granted to Martinez Renewables in California, to upgrade its existing renewable diesel plant to create capacity for 100-350 million gallons per year of SAF, starting in 2027.

BP was awarded $26.8 million toward starting SAF production at its oil refinery at Cherry Point, Washington. The Cherry Point refinery currently refines crude oil and produces renewable diesel through co-processing.

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