Phase 1 – In design
SAF Blending & Testing
Phase 1 addresses the need for reference samples to support research. SAF samples are received, tested at small scales, indexed, and distributed.
Home
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Center
Fueling the future of flight.
Scaling aviation’s energy transition for our communities, our economy, and our climate.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Research & Development Center, led by Snohomish County and supported by Washington State University, is a first-of-its-kind global initiative focused on reducing the economy’s dependence on carbon-based fuels by accelerating SAF adoption.
Our Vision
Delivering rapid innovation to transform the landscape of aviation.
"We don’t have to choose between great jobs and a healthy planet."
"The SAF Center is Snohomish County’s next step in our long history of supporting innovation and aviation."
Expanding sustainable aviation fuels research, development, and adoption supports:
Thriving economy
Bridging the gaps between industry, government, and academia ensures the highest economic investment and impact.
Climate-ready workforce
Today’s investment in the climate economy ensures long-term workforce development on both a regional and global scale.
Industry innovation
SAF offers the most immediate mechanism to decarbonize aviation and can be used on the biggest, furthest-flying aircraft in the world.
Healthy and resilient communities
New fuel chemistries reduce stress on our broader environment while prioritizing the long-term health of current and future generations.
Why SAF?
While electric and hydrogen energy solutions are years off for widespread use in aviation, SAF serves as a drop-in replacement for petroleum fuels today.
Produced from regenerative carbon resources
A variety of resources like wood waste, corn husks, cooking oil, and even trash can be made into SAF.
Safe for today’s engine, aircraft, and infrastructure
Engine, aircraft, and infrastructure can’t tell the difference between conventional fuel and SAF, which makes it the most viable, energy-efficient fuel option for the long-haul routes that produce the most carbon.
Facilities
State-of-the-art technology meets aviation heritage in Snohomish County, WA, USA.
The SAF Center is headquartered at Paine Field Airport north of Seattle, Washington, a global epicenter of scientific and technical aviation expertise and a hub for industry leaders including Boeing, Alaska Airlines, and Amazon.
Media
Support for the SAF Center
“Amazon supports the development of sustainable options to help decarbonize the entire transportation network, including SAF. Amazon Air has used SAF in its air operations for several years, helping build demand as the fuel industry seeks to increase access to low-carbon aviation fuel.”
Cleaner air travel is well within our reach. We’re proud to partner with Snohomish County on this groundbreaking Center that will help industry, policymakers, and consumers reduce the environmental impact of air travel for current and future generations.
“Sustainable aviation fuel is crucial for the aviation industry to meet its commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The SAF Center can help us catalyze the fuel’s scaling through its research and industry partnerships – a perfect example of how we can work together locally to scale SAF globally.”
“The SAF Center plays an important role in enabling and advancing new SAF technologies that will help companies like Alaska meet our ambitious net zero carbon emissions goals in the coming decades. We need to scale and mature the market for SAF available now, advance new technologies for future supply, and ensure the infrastructure is available to support effective use. “
