Abstract for: Modeling the feasibility of SAF production in the Dominican Republic using oily crops and wastes for sustainable aviation fuel

The global aviation industry significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and the demand for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is growing as airlines strive to meet the decarbonization target. However, their worldwide deployment has been slow due to all the supply chain limitations related to biofuels, such as biomass and land availability, storage capacity, and social response to the community. I developed a deterministic supply chain model for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) production in the Dominican Republic using HEFA (Hydroprocessed Ester and Fatty Acids) technology. The model follows a methodology that includes selecting the research question and causal diagram and identifying stakeholders. Stakeholder interactions involve feedstock suppliers (palm oil, used cooking oil from tourism), producers, logistics providers, and consumers. The model examines feedstock supply, midstream production, and downstream storage and consumption constrained by storage capacity. SAF production follows exponential growth in a demand-driven system, with fluctuations from feedstock handling delays. Logistics costs, biomass availability, and storage capacity heavily influence financial performance. While feasible, production remains limited, covering less than 5% of national demand and requiring more land for palm oil cultivation. The final intention of the model is for any country to use it, changing the input values. Further work in the social aspect is needed, such as the farmers' will to change from their current crops to producing palm oil. Also, it tests the robustness of the model to environmental changes like drought seasons, as the production depends on growing crops. The effect of some policy scenarios will help make this model a tool for “testing” for policymakers interested in building SAF. ChatGPT for grammar check