SAF North America Congress
3 Days of Deals,
Insight & Action
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Sessions Picked for You
Day 1 · Wed 4 Nov
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01
SAF Masterclass & Advance-Networking Day
The first day steps away from the traditional panel discussion conference format and provides the opportunity to learn and engage via a series of detailed presentations, workshops, and expert Q&A sessions, along with an opportunity to meet delegates ahead of the main conference and make use of the extended networking breaks.
Filter by track —
8:00 AM · Registration & Coffee
9:00 AM
Morning Sessions · 9:00 – 10:30 AM
Stream 1 · Projects to Production
Fueling the Runway: Navigating Policy, Feedstock, and Price Discovery in North American SAF
Speakers
MariaJose Parra, Managing Editor, North America Biofuels Pricing, S&P Global Energy
Sofia Cabrera, SAF Price Specialist, S&P Global Energy
- Examining the market responses triggered by the shifting of federal credits: 45Z and 2026/2027 RVO
- Understanding how market players are impacted by California’s LCFS evolution alongside emerging credits in other states
- Identifying the practical steps needed to align feedstock fundamentals and raw material availability with surging policy-driven mandate demand
- Evaluating the market mechanics driving the SAF short market, focusing on how price formulas are structured using conventional fuel baselines, regulatory credit add-ons, correlations with adjacent markets, and Scope 3 environmental attribute premiums
- How is the market reacting? Rising feedstock imports into North America and premiums for US feedstocks
Stream 2 · Feedstocks & Agriculture
Crop-Based Feedstocks in Focus: Aligning U.S. agriculture with global standards
Speakers
Amparo Arellano, Standards and Certification Director, RSB
Lane Howard, Director of Biofuels, National Corn Growers Association
- Exploring the reality of ‘food vs. fuel’ and how U.S. producers deliver food, feed and fuel from the same acres
- Understanding how crop-based feedstocks are assessed under current sustainability frameworks, and where standards may still misread U.S. production realities
- What global standard-setters, buyers and policymakers need to understand if crop-based SAF is to scale credibly in North America
Stream 3 · Policy & Certification
Pre-Empting Qualification Bottlenecks: SAF certification, testing, storage and transport
Speakers
Cindy Tomei, President, SAFII
- General process overview
- Exploring the benefits of third-party guidance
- Independent testing access and requirements
- Pre-certification physical property testing
- Production, transport, and storage considerations
Stream 4 · Future Fuels
Future Fuels Reality Check: Fischer-Tropsch, eFuels and the current research landscape
Speakers
Fraunhofer Institute
Isaac Ekoto, Principal Investigator, Gasoline Combustion Fundamentals Lab, Sandia National Laboratories
- Providing a technical overview of the current research landscape across Fischer-Tropsch, eFuels and related advanced pathways
- Comparing where the science is moving fastest, where the bottlenecks remain, and which pathways appear most credible for scale-up
- Distinguishing between near-term commercial relevance and longer-horizon innovation
10:30 AM · Morning Coffee & Networking Break
11:15 AM
Midday Sessions · 11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Stream 1 · Projects to Production
SAF as a System Challenge: Mapping the path needed to scale North American production
Speakers
Rajee Olaganathan, Associate Professor, Department of Safety Sciences, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Reframing SAF scale-up from a technology race into a systems challenge spanning feedstocks, infrastructure, finance, logistics and commercial alignment
- Identifying where projects break down between announcement and execution, and how bottlenecks compound across the value chain
- Using real North American examples to map what must align for projects to move from concept to construction and ultimately to FID
Stream 2 · Feedstocks & Agriculture
GREET, CORSIA and Global Compliance: Finding the lowest common LCA denominator for U.S. producers
Speakers
Corey Stewart, Senior Expert, Carbon Accounting and LCA, RMI
- Comparing how GREET, CORSIA and other major methodologies calculate lifecycle carbon intensity and why those differences matter commercially
- Understanding the implications for producers selling across jurisdictions, including trade, credit stacking, certification strategy and market access
- Exploring how CI variation affects project bankability, offtake pricing and the credibility of emissions claims in a fragmented policy landscape
Stream 3 · Policy & Certification
Crop Caps, ILUC and Impact Accounting: Reopening the difficult questions in SAF policy
Speakers
Gerard Ostheimer, Head of Secretariat, Biofuture Council, Molecule Group
- Examining existing policy on crop-based feedstock caps and whether current assumptions still reflect market and environmental reality
- Revisiting ILUC through the lens of updated evidence, market needs and international policy development
- Understanding how impact accounting and GHG Protocol discussions could reshape how feedstocks are assessed and claimed
Stream 4 · Future Fuels
Shared Molecules, Shared Infrastructure: Can maritime development accelerate the future fuels market?
Speakers
Senior Representative, Smart Freight Centre
- Can maritime demand help scale the hydrogen, renewable power, CO₂ and fuel infrastructure aviation also needs?
- Collaboration or competition? How will SAF, eSAF and e-methanol compete for clean power, hydrogen and carbon?
- Can ports and industrial hubs de-risk infrastructure investment and improve project economics?
- What can aviation learn from green shipping corridors and cross-sector fuel hubs?
12:45 PM · Networking Lunch & 1-2-1 Meetings
2:00 PM
Afternoon Sessions · 2:00 – 3:30 PM
Stream 1 · Projects to Production
Project Momentum and Market Lessons: What drives progress, causes delay and strengthens resilience in SAF development
Speakers
Carrie Song, Independent SAF Consultant
- Examining the gap between project announcements and real execution, existing and previous SAF projects to identify recurring commercial and delivery challenges
- Exploring the roles of engineering, procurement, financing, timing and partnership structure in successes and challenges
- Highlighting the lessons developers, investors and offtakers can take from both setbacks and successes to strengthen the next wave of SAF projects
Stream 2 · Feedstocks & Agriculture
Beyond Row Crops: Exploring the opportunities in woody biomass, residues and low-CI feedstocks
Speakers
Damon Hartley, Group and Technical Lead, Operations Research & Analysis, Idaho National Laboratory
- Mapping the role of woody biomass, agricultural residues, cover crops, biogas and industrial waste gas in expanding the U.S. SAF feedstock base
- Comparing carbon-intensity potential, supply-chain complexity and conversion fit across emerging domestic feedstock options
- Identifying which regional feedstock pools are most likely to become investable under state incentives, export pressure and evolving policy support
Stream 3 · Policy & Certification
Energy Independence and Lessons from Ethanol: PROÁLCOOL case study for the U.S. SAF market
Speakers
Matthew Fischbacher, Director Energy and Environment, ALPA ASP
- Examining how Brazil scaled ethanol through strategic national interest, rather than relying on environmental framing alone
- Identifying which policy and incentive mechanisms from PROÁLCOOL could inform U.S. SAF strategy today
- Exploring whether geopolitical risk and fuel-security thinking could create similar momentum for SAF in North America
Stream 4 · Future Fuels
Fuel Characterisation and Unregulated Emissions: What producers need to know
Speakers
Brynn Bartholomew, Research Engineer, Southwest Research Institute
- Exploring how fuel characterisation and real-engine emissions testing are shaping understanding of unregulated emissions across SAF and emerging fuel pathways
- Identifying which compounds and performance characteristics may become more important as regulators and OEMs look beyond headline metrics
- Why producers should pay attention to emissions research, certification implications and future compliance risk
3:30 PM · End of SAF Intelligence & Masterclass Day
No sessions found.
02
Main Conference Day 1
High-impact keynotes open the room, followed by four focused afternoon streams. Projects, capital, policy and logistics — the full value chain in one place.
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7:30 AM · Registration & CoffeeNetworking Zone opens!
Keynotes — Strengthening and Growing U.S. SAF Leadership
8:20 AM
Welcome Address and Opening Remarks from the Organizers and Chair
Speakers
Sean Newsum, Managing Director, Environmental Affairs, Airlines for America
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8:30 AM
Who Wins the SAF Scale-Up Race? Accelerating projects via industry convergence and partnerships
Keynote Session
Speakers
Sean Newsum, Managing Director, Environmental Affairs, Airlines for America (Moderator)
Bruce Fleming, CEO, Montana Renewables
Hassan Qureshi, Senior Director, Logistics & Fulfillment, Honeywell
John Kurvilla, Director, Aviation, Phillips 66
Reema Bari, Head of Aviation Americas, Shell
Leon Bishop, Vice President, Operations – Western Hemisphere, Low Carbon Solutions, McDermott
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- Examining what is helping the most credible U.S. SAF projects move forward, from stronger partnerships and SAF hubs to proven technologies, clearer pathways and investment
- Book and claim, claims harmonization, local ecosystems and SAF hubs: where convergence is lowering cost without forcing one-size-fits-all delivery models
- How can technology providers, producers, EPCs, feedstock suppliers, airlines and investors align earlier to reduce integration risk and create projects that are technically credible, commercially bankable and ready to scale?
- Highlighting the commercial structures, risk-sharing approaches and delivery models that can help scale production with confidence
- Are processes and policy adding cost without delivering better outcomes, and how can the industry best address this?
- Regional models in focus: where local SAF ecosystems are gaining traction, and what their different approaches reveal about scaling in practice
- Connecting SAF to industrial strength, energy leadership, supply-chain resilience, and pragmatic market development
9:15 AM
Collaboration, Synergy or Competition? The Future of Clean Fuels
Keynote Session
Speakers
Doug Whitehead, Chief Operating Officer, Clean Fuels Alliance America
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- As demand for sustainable aviation fuel accelerates, biodiesel, renewable diesel and SAF will increasingly intersect—sharing feedstocks, technologies, infrastructure, and policy priorities. This keynote explores why reaching meaningful clean-fuel volumes will require more than competition for molecules; it will require collaboration across fuels, feedstocks, and the entire value chain.
9:30 AM
America’s Agricultural Advantage: Feedstocks, rural value, and farming for the future
Keynote Session
Speakers
Amparo Arellano, Standards and Certification Director, RSB (Moderator)
Sean Arians, VP - Sustainable Production & Value Chain Engagement, National Corn Growers Association
Erin Heitkamp, VP SAF & Carbon Solutions, Gevo
Chris Cassidy, Renewable Energy Advisor, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
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- How does the EPA’s final 2026–27 RFS rule reshape the wider market for corn, soy oil, ethanol, renewable diesel and SAF?
- The market reality today: HEFA feedstocks are being purchased at scale while many domestic alternatives remain technically possible but commercially constrained – how can this challenge be overcome?
- Exploring how SAF can create new value for U.S. agriculture, strengthen rural economies and reinforce domestic energy goals
- What signals are needed to make SAF a stronger long-term outlet for domestic feedstocks, rather than a secondary option to other biofuel markets?
- Assessing how corn, soy, ethanol, residues, woody biomass and other domestic feedstocks can support a stronger national SAF position
- Crop-based SAF may be technically viable, but will airlines and corporate buyers accept it, or will uncertainty around ILUC, land use and food-versus-fuel claims continue pushing these feedstocks into renewable diesel instead?
- Identifying the commercial and policy signals needed to turn agricultural strength into long-term market leadership
10:10 AM
Industry Insights Presentation – Montana Renewables
Sponsored Session
Speakers
Bruce Fleming, CEO, Montana Renewables
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10:30 AM · Morning Coffee & Card SwapRecharge and connect before sessions continue
11:10 AM
What Turns SAF Ambition into Action? Policy, partnerships and practical support mechanisms
Keynote Session
Speakers
Alison Graab, Executive Director, SAF Coalition (Moderator)
Tom Michels, Director, Government Affairs, United Airlines
Veronica Bradley, Director of Environmental Science, Clean Fuels Alliance America
Paula Wagner, Head of SAF Sales, Americas, Neste
Courtney Unruh, Vice President of SAF, Americas, Qantas
Andy Billig, Senior Advisor, SkyNRG
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- What does a more coherent policy stack look like when RFS, 45Z, state incentives and LCFS and agriculture policy are all pulling on the same feedstocks?
- Exploring how the U.S. can continue setting the pace for SAF growth through coordinated action across industry and government
- If the Securing America’s Fuels Act progresses, would it materially change investor confidence and project timelines?
- Which partnerships matter most now? Government, producers, airlines, agriculture, or capital?
- Highlighting the policy and investment conditions that can sustain market confidence and accelerate project development
- Carbon intensity, ILUC scrutiny, buyer acceptance and policy durability: what would make crop-based SAF commercially durable rather than politically temporary?
11:55 AM
Industry Insights Presentation – Shell Aviation
Sponsored Session
Speakers
Reema Bari, Head of Aviation Americas, Shell
Charlotte Lollar, Director of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Delta
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12:15 PM
Who Pays, Who Takes the Risk? Syndication, underwriting and the risk-sharing structures SAF actually needs
Keynote Session
Speakers
Kenneth Hill, Managing Director, BioCarbon Strategies Consulting
Alex Kroner, Managing Director - Head of US Energy Investment Banking, Bank of America
Senior Representative, Green Finance Institute
Ajit Patel, Senior Underwriter, Large Corporates & International, UK Export Finance
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- Beyond tax credits alone: how 45Z transferability, loan guarantees, public-private capital, and construction-stage de-risking are shaping investability
- Where is capital actually coming from in 2026: infrastructure investors, strategic corporates, public finance, tax credit buyers, or blended structures
- Revenue certainty in focus: long-term offtakes, corporate participation, insurance structures, and other mechanisms helping projects move closer to financial close
- Examining how the U.S. can strengthen its competitive edge by making SAF projects more investable, scalable, and commercially resilient
- The growing role of syndicates and multiple risk holders rather than a single prime investor
1:00 PM · Networking Lunch & 1-2-1 Meetings
Afternoon Focus Streams
2:00 PM
2:00 – 2:40 PM
Stream A · Scaling SAF
The North American Project Landscape: Which pathways, feedstocks and projects will shape SAF scale-up?
Speakers
Elvis Ebikade, Managing Principal, Vansam Advisory (Moderator)
Senior Representative, Merrick
Tatiana Bruce da Silva, Deputy Director, Energy Systems, EFI Foundation
Andrea Bonanni, Business Development Manager, NextChem
- The North American SAF pipeline: where announced capacity is most credible, and which project models are proving more resilient
- Comparing the real commercial outlook for co-processing, AtJ, Fischer-Tropsch, eFuels and other emerging pathways
- Feedstock access, carbon intensity, infrastructure fit, and cross-border market access: which combinations are most likely to define the market beyond 2030?
- What can today’s first-mover projects teach the wider market about timing, siting, partnerships, policy exposure, and what it really takes to move from announcement to scale?
Stream B · Feedstocks
How to Bring AtJ to Scale: Ethanol, trade and U.S. agricultural competitiveness
Speakers
Timothy Hughes, Projects Director, CAAFI
Salvador Ramirez II, Agroecosystem Management Research Associate, USDA-ARS
Lane Howard, Director of Biofuels, National Corn Growers Association
Lawrence Navin, Vice President of External Affairs, Methanol Institute
Brad Stotler, Director of Public Policy, Illinois Corn
- Is the constraint technology, capital, CI methodology, buyer acceptance, ethanol trade or all of the above?
- What a credible corn- and soy-linked SAF pathway must prove on land use, CI and long-term market access
- How ATJ economics compare with established ethanol and renewable-diesel outlets
- What is preventing stronger ethanol-to-SAF trade and investment flows between the U.S. and international markets?
Stream C · Powering eSAF
The State of eFuels: Market signals, project reality and the path to scale
Speakers
Jade Patterson, Energy Specialist, Bloomberg NEF (Moderator)
Maksim Sonin, Hydrogen Projects Fellow, Stanford Hydrogen Initiative
Susan Shifflet, Executive Director, Texas Hydrogen Alliance
Senior Representative, Gulf Energy Catalyst
- Mapping the projects, policies, and partnerships shaping the next phase of eFuel development across North America, and how does it compare with progress in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East?
- Exploring how power access, hydrogen, carbon sourcing, policy support, and demand are shaping which projects look most credible
- Blending, terminal access, pipeline compatibility, fuel-farm integration and last-mile distribution
- Domestic uplift or international demand: could export markets become a stronger early driver of North American eSAF and PtL projects?
- What would U.S. producers need to demonstrate on cost, carbon intensity and supply security to compete internationally?
Stream D · SAF Logistics
From Refinery to Runway: Building a SAF logistics system fit for scale
Speakers
Paul Hartman, Director - Midstream Policy, American Petroleum Institute (Moderator)
Senior Representative, BNSF
Melinda Pagliarello, Managing Director - Environmental Affairs, ACI North America
Beatrice Batty, Founder, Batty Aviation Solutions
- Exploring critical infrastructure, blending, storage, transport and distribution upgrades
- Where are the biggest operational and commercial bottlenecks today across terminals, pipelines, airports and fuel supply chains?
- How do logistics strategies need to evolve to handle a more complex future fuel mix, including co-processed fuels, eSAF and wider regional supply diversity?
2:40 PM
Stream A: 2:40 – 3:00 PM · Streams B–D: 2:40 – 3:20 PM
Stream A · Scaling SAF
Industry Insights Presentation – Fluor
Speakers
James Shih, Executive Director, Business Incubation, Fluor
Stream B · Feedstocks
Beyond Crop Oils: Cellulosics, Biogas, and the next U.S. feedstock pool
Speakers
Scott Dane, Executive Director, American Loggers Council
Leif Fixen, Strategy Manager, North America Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy
- Expanding the feedstock conversation beyond conventional pathways to include biogas, industrial waste gas and other under-discussed options
- Where can woody biomass, forestry residues, agricultural residues, biogas and waste-derived feedstocks expand the U.S. SAF resource base?
- Comparing how these feedstocks perform on scalability, carbon intensity potential and integration with future conversion pathways
- How can the U.S. broaden its feedstock base while strengthening the role of rural and agricultural economies in SAF growth?
Stream C · Powering eSAF
Point-Source CO₂ vs DAC: What will actually power eFuel scale?
Speakers
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Renner, Head of Institute, Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental Safety
Anurag Mandalika, Assistant Research Professor, LSU
- Comparing the role of direct air capture and point-source carbon in the next generation of eFuel and PtL projects
- Where can producers find the lowest-cost, most realistic path to carbon supply without undermining long-term credibility?
- What does the choice of carbon source mean for project economics, scalability and export competitiveness?
- How do existing carbon-capture assets, CO₂ transport infrastructure and industrial clusters affect where future eFuel projects can realistically be built?
Stream D · SAF Logistics
Traceability, Fraud Prevention and Digital Chain of Custody
Speakers
Amina Dammann, Partner, King & Spalding
Timothy Daniel, CEO, Rimba
Adam Kirby, Sustainability Manager, ISCC - International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
- Where claims fail in practice: feedstock verification, mass-balance reconciliation, registry handoffs, missing sustainability documentation, and downstream attribute allocation
- How should responsibility be shared across producers, certifiers, technology providers, airlines and corporate buyers to reduce fraud and improve accountability?
- The role of digital tools, interoperable data systems, registries and AI-enabled monitoring
- Avoiding unmanageable reporting complexity
3:00 PM
Stream A: 3:00 – 3:40 PM · Streams B–D: 3:20 – 3:40 PM
Stream A · Scaling SAF
How to Develop a Successful SAF Hub, and Why it Matters
Speakers
Michael Rossell, Associate Partner, PA Consulting (Moderator)
Angela Rosenwood, SAF and Sustainability Program Manager, Alaska Air
Julia Silvis, Managing Director of Research and Intelligence, GREATER MSP
Flavio Leo, Director, Aviation Planning and Strategy, Massachusetts Port Authority
Deena Karlsson, SAF and Scope 3 Commercial Manager, Shell
- Why, when most of the industry agrees that the time for SAF at scale is now, are we not seeing this take off, and how can that change?
- Exploring what state and provincial support is most impactful, and how to direct it efficiently
- Lessons learnt from existing and emerging SAF hubs
Stream B · Feedstocks
HEFA at Scale: Operational lessons and the fight for molecules
Speakers
Gerard Ostheimer, Head of Secretariat, Biofuture Council
Amee Patel, VP of Operations, Savor
Senior Representative, World Bioenergy Association
Dr. Skip York, Council Member, Sustainable Aviation Advisory Council
- Where existing and near-term HEFA capacity is most credible, and what first movers reveal about ramp-up, yields and operating discipline
- SAF vs renewable diesel, marine fuels and chemicals: where are fats, oils and other molecules actually flowing?
- How are policy value, pricing, export demand and competing markets influencing feedstock allocation?
- How can North America build a feedstock strategy resilient enough to withstand cross-sector competition and export pull?
Stream C · Powering eSAF
Natural and Stimulated Geo-Hydrogen
Speakers
Katie O’Shea, Former Dept. of Energy Hydrogen Hubs Program Manager
- Technology basics, subsurface risk, infrastructure fit and hydrogen purity: what separates a serious prospect from a speculative concept?
- What distinguishes natural and stimulated approaches in terms of technology, scalability and infrastructure requirements?
- Geo-hydrogen as a meaningful input into future fuels, or is it still an early-stage prospect?
Stream D · SAF Logistics
Operational Readiness for SAF Scale: Simulation, digital systems and workforce capability
Speakers
Matt Dreher, Lecturer - Center for Aviation Studies, Ohio State University (Moderator)
Senior Representative, Corys
Matthew Fischbacher, Director Energy and Environment, ALPA ASP
- How can dynamic simulation and digital twins help SAF projects validate control systems, operating procedures and plant behaviour before commissioning?
- Preparing operators for feedstock variability, process upsets, off-specification production, shutdowns and emergency scenarios without putting the physical facility at risk
- What new skills, training models and digital capabilities are needed to build an operational workforce ready for large-scale SAF deployment?
3:40 – 4:30 PM · Extended Networking BreakSpeedy SAF Connections 3:50 – 4:10 PM — fast-paced structured introductions across the value chain
4:30 PM
A & C: 4:30 – 4:50 PM · B: 4:30 – 5:30 PM · D: 4:30 – 4:45 PM
Stream A · Scaling SAF
Industry Insights Presentation – McDermott
Speakers
Christopher Fordham, Commercial Director, Low Carbon Solutions, McDermott
Stream B · Feedstocks
Interactive Workshop – From the Farm: Exploring the data behind soy and corn production
Speakers
Sean Arians, VP - Sustainable Production & Value Chain Engagement, National Corn Growers Association
Lane Howard, Director of Biofuels, National Corn Growers Association
- Interactive workshop running 4:30 – 5:30 PM
Stream C · Powering eSAF
Data Centres, Flexible Load and the Power Case for eFuels
Speakers
Greg Bean, Executive Director - Gutierrez Energy Management Institute, University of Houston
- Can data centres, flexible power demand and off-peak electricity create a more investable foundation for eFuel production?
- What can eFuel developers learn from the way hyperscale energy users are reshaping grid economics and infrastructure planning?
Stream D · SAF Logistics
Maximizing the Co-Benefits of Sustainable Aviation Fuel via Targeted Allocation
Speakers
Jonathan Lewis, Director of Transportation Decarbonization, Clean Air Task Force
4:50 PM
A & C: 4:50 – 5:30 PM · D: 4:45 – 5:25 PM
Stream A · Scaling SAF
Project Post-Mortem: Why SAF projects stall, slip or struggle
Speakers
Jim Stonecipher, Independent SAF Advisor
Carrie Song, Independent SAF Consultant
Aamir Shams, Manager Energy Strategy, Low-carbon Fuels, SAF, RMI
Angela Foster-Rice, Independent SAF Expert
- What halts projects: feedstock strategy, permitting drag, EPC sequencing, capital structure, or participation collapse?
- Looking beyond “the technology failed” to examine what doesn’t work commercially and operationally in delayed or cancelled projects
- What developers, investors and offtakers should now build into timelines, contracts and execution plans to avoid repeating common challenges
Stream C · Powering eSAF
Beyond CO₂: Can eFuels and SAF deliver additional climate benefits?
Speakers
Senior Representative, Environmental Defense Fund
Nadir Yilmaz, Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering, Howard University
- How fuel composition and combustion characteristics influence non-CO₂ emissions and contrail formation
- What does current evidence tell us about the non-CO₂ impacts of SAF, and could synthetic fuels offer further advantages?
- Fuel versus flight: where can cleaner fuel characteristics complement operational approaches to contrail avoidance?
- What can airlines, fuel producers, OEMs and air navigation stakeholders act on now, and where are further evidence and standards needed?
Stream D · SAF Logistics
Airports as Enablers: Infrastructure, coordination, and the reality of uplift
Speakers
Beatrice Batty, Founder, Batty Aviation Solutions (Moderator)
Robb Etnyre, General Manager, Truckee Tahoe Airport
Marion Chivot-Legris, Director - ESG and Sustainability, Fly EIA
Jonathan Lewis, Director of Transportation Decarbonization, Clean Air Task Force
- Positioning airports as strategic enablers of regional SAF ecosystems, from infrastructure planning to advocating for stronger industry and government support
- What do airports need to have in place to handle higher SAF volumes reliably, from storage and blending access to fuel-farm integration and operational coordination?
- How can airports work with airlines, fuel suppliers, policymakers and local government to remove bottlenecks, build demand and accelerate regional SAF deployment?
5:30 PM · End of Sustainable Aviation Futures North America Congress Day 1Networking Drinks Reception
No sessions found.
03
Main Conference Day 2
SAF Breakfast Briefings open the day before global keynote sessions and four afternoon streams covering policy, finance, voluntary markets, and innovation.
Filter by track —
7:30 AM · Registration & CoffeeNetworking Zone opens!
Breakfast
SAF Breakfast Briefings & Business Card Exchange — first-come-first-served intimate morning briefings
Breakfast Briefing
Navigating FAA Approval Pathways for New Fuels: STCs, bottlenecks and what developers need to know
Speakers
Senior Representative, ASTM International
- Understanding the FAA approval pathway: what sits under ASTM, what sits under engine approval, and when a new fuel use case may require an STC
- Where procedural bottlenecks are now showing up across testing, emissions review, approvals and agency resourcing
Breakfast Briefing
Canada’s SAF Landscape: Innovation, infrastructure & investment
Speakers
Kasturi Narayanan, Sr. Trade Officer, Consulate of Canada
Prashant Reddy, Clean Fuels Policy Advisor in Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Mehdi Lakhdari, Economist, Natural Resources Canada
- A focused look at Canada’s role in the North American SAF market, from clean power and feedstocks to project development and provincial policy signals
- Exploring where Canada could complement U.S. production growth and strengthen cross-border supply chains
Breakfast Briefing
Reporting, Claims and Accounting 101
Speakers
Veronica Bradley, Director of Environmental Science, Clean Fuels Alliance America
- Understanding where GHGP, SBTi, registries, book and claim, and chain-of-custody rules align
Breakfast Briefing
De-risking the SAF Market
Speakers
Charlie Little, Senior Associate - Fuels & Molecules, Currence
- Investment trends, market news from the past 12 months
- The SAF challenge
- SAF pipeline status and credibility
- Project derisking fundamentals
Keynotes — Building a Durable Global SAF Market
8:30 AM
Welcome Address and Opening Remarks from the Organizers and Chair
Speakers
Sean Arians, VP - Sustainable Production & Value Chain Engagement, National Corn Growers
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8:40 AM
Inside the SAF Market: Understanding the Forces Shaping the Market
Keynote Session
Speakers
MariaJose Parra, Managing Editor, North America Biofuels Pricing, S&P Global Energy
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- This keynote will offer a comprehensive overview of the SAF market, providing a global perspective and examining North American SAF policy drivers, as well as the role of feedstock availability and RVO mechanics. It will also highlight the SAF key supply-demand and pricing fundamentals influencing the market’s development.
9:00 AM
Market Maker or Market Breaker? Policy, pricing, and the global race for demand
Keynote Session
Speakers
Matteo Mirolo, Director, Mundus Volans Consulting (Moderator)
Sofia Cabrera, SAF Price Specialist, S&P Global Energy
Margaux Thoyer-Rozat, Sustainable Aviation Fuel Manager, Air France
Geoff Tauvette, Executive Director, C-SAF
Senior Representative, Austrade
Henrik von Storch, Director - Global Sustainable Aviation Fuels, DHL Express
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- Taking stock of the signals now shaping real SAF demand: ReFuelEU performance, Brazil’s mandate, Japan’s investment, Korea’s 2027 requirement, India’s roadmap, Australia and emerging Latin American momentum
- How 45Z, the final 2026-27 RFS, Canadian CFR amendments and British Columbia’s jet-fuel treatment shape North American competitiveness
- When U.S.-produced fuel serves overseas demand, who is the customer, where do environmental attributes go and which market captures the value?
- Trade negotiations, the Belém commitment and bilateral partnerships: is SAF becoming part of wider industrial diplomacy?
- What will it take for SAF pricing to support a more transparent, investable and scalable global market?
9:45 AM
State and Provincial Support and Competition, and the New U.S. and Canadian SAF Policy Patchwork
Keynote Session
Speakers
Jason Humphrey, State SAF Policy Expert, RMI (Moderator)
Claudia Borchert, Climate Change Policy Coordinator, New Mexico Environment Department
Stephanie Meyn, Climate Program Manager, SEA Airport
Robin Vercruse, Executive Director, Low Carbon Fuels Coalition
Graham Noyes, Managing Attorney, Noyes Law Corporation
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- Illinois, Washington, California, New Mexico, Kentucky, British Columbia and beyond: which jurisdictions are creating the clearest project pull?
- Three different tools, three different impacts: LCFS-style credit markets, per-gallon production incentives and project-level CapEx support
- How U.S. and Canadian incentives and LCFS programs are reshaping feedstock routes, project siting and cross-border margin capture
- What 45Z’s U.S., Canada, and Mexico feedstock rule means for procurement, compliance strategy and North American market design
- Which policy models are attracting real investment, and which are still too weak, too narrow, or too volatile to shape long-term supply?
10:30 AM · Morning Coffee & Networking Power-HourExtended networking break for you to connect, exchange ideas, and collaborate
11:00 AM
Inside the Airline Buyer Mindset: What turns conversation into commercial commitment?
Keynote Session
Speakers
Michael AuBuchon, Founder, SAFFRON Consulting (Moderator)
Matt Ridley, Director of Sustainability and Innovation, oneworld Alliance
Charlotte Lollar, Director of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Delta
Marie LaRiviere, Head of Low Carbon Fuel Strategy, Amazon
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- What do airline sustainability, procurement and commercial teams really look for in a SAF partner beyond price and volume?
- Understanding how credibility, risk sharing, traceability and internal alignment shape airline decision-making
- From first conversation to signed agreement: how producers and suppliers can build partnerships that better reflect airline realities
- The corporate customer as an essential part of airline demand - how Scope 3 requirements, claims and willingness to pay influence procurement
- Where U.S., European and global rules create friction for carriers, and what producers can do to remain investable and buyable
11:40 AM
One Year On: From collaboration to investment – the oneworld BEV Fund
Keynote Session
Speakers
Shashank Nigam, Founder and CEO, SimpliFlying (Moderator)
Matt Ridley, Director of Sustainability and Innovation, oneworld Alliance
Max Sabbe, Principal, Breakthrough Energy Ventures
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- One year since launch: what has the oneworld BEV Fund learned about identifying the technologies capable of delivering scalable, cost-competitive next-generation SAF?
- From ambition to investment: unpacking the Fund’s first investments and what it reveals about the technologies, economics and commercial pathways investors and airlines are looking for
- How can airline collaboration and specialist climate-tech capital help promising technologies cross the gap from innovation to commercial deployment?
12:00 PM
Building the Backbone for Global SAF: Certificates, credible claims and the role of carbon markets
Keynote Session
Speakers
Sean Arians, VP - Sustainable Production & Value Chain Engagement, National Corn Growers (Moderator)
Mike Fulton, Chief SAF Guy, FedEx
Andre de Fontaine, Senior Director, GMA / SABA Secretariat Team
Chelsea Lamar, VP Global Sustainability, AIT Worldwide Logistics
Elizabeth Rolfes, Sustainability Analyst, AMEX GBT
Bettina Pachke, Executive Director, RSB
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- How can SAF certificates separate environmental attributes from the physical fuel in a way that remains trusted, auditable and scalable across airlines, corporate buyers and jurisdictions?
- Progress on registry interoperability, chain-of-custody architecture, attribute ownership and the systems needed to prevent double issuance or double claiming
- From transaction to accepted claim: what GHG Protocol, SBTi, airlines, corporate buyers and assurance providers still need to align on
- Platforms in practice: where registry and transaction-system handoffs currently fail, and how the industry can reduce reconciliation, documentation and reporting friction
- SAF certificates, RINs, state clean-fuel credits, 45Z value and carbon credits: separating instruments that are frequently grouped together but serve fundamentally different commercial and accounting purposes
12:45 PM
Midterm Roundup: What the Midterm Results Mean for U.S. SAF
Keynote Session
Speakers
Bruce Marsh, Senior Director, DHL Group
John Hebert, Senior Policy Advisor for Transportation, Third Way
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- With the congressional picture now clearer, what does the direction of U.S. SAF policy, incentives, and political support look like?
- How should the industry respond now to reinforce U.S. leadership under the new political balance?
- What should producers, airlines, investors, and feedstock stakeholders now watch most closely over the next 6–12 months?
1:10 PM · Extended Networking Lunch & 1-2-1 Meetings
1:20 PM
Closed-Door Airline & Producer Masterclass: From SAF production to the wing
Invite only · 1:20 – 2:00 PM
Speakers
Elvis Ebikade, Managing Principal, Vansam Advisory
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- Designed to equip airlines and producers with the information they need to build downstream delivery into SAF commercial strategy from the outset, rather than discovering infrastructure and logistics barriers once an offtake is already being negotiated
- Understanding the true delivered cost of SAF, from production through blending, transport and airport uplift
- Where the next bottlenecks could emerge across pipelines, terminals, blending facilities and existing jet-fuel infrastructure
- How airlines and producers can align earlier on delivery locations, infrastructure requirements and responsibilities to create executable offtake agreements
Afternoon Focus Streams
2:15 PM
2:15 – 2:55 PM
Stream A · Policy & Trade
Borderless SAF? Trade flows, duties, export routes and international policy competition
Speakers
Henrik von Storch, Director - Global Sustainable Aviation Fuels, DHL Express (Moderator)
Jason Heron, US SAF Ambassador - Head of Clean Fuels Strategy, Sustainability & Transformation, Airbus Americas
Dr. John Dees, Director, Fuels and Environmental Markets, Relae
- Anti-dumping risk, tariff exposure, imported feedstock scrutiny, and export routes: where trade policy is starting to change the SAF business case
- What global market access now means when feedstock origin, certification route, and end-market eligibility can change project economics
- How North American producers are navigating cross-border incentive arbitrage, provincial credit value, and differing compliance regimes
- What does global market access now mean for a U.S. industry increasingly shaped by both domestic and overseas incentives?
Stream B · Finance
What Do Funders Need to See? The investor checklist for SAF projects
Speakers
Izabela Santos, Founder and Managing Director, StratX Growth Group (Moderator)
Simon Talling-Smith, Partner, SkiesFifty
Mark Riedy, Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson
Wray Thorn, Partner & Co-Founder, Focus Impact Partners
Santiago Gonzalez Hernandez, Managing Consultant, Technical Due Diligence & Sustainability, Ramboll
- What gives lenders, equity investors and strategic backers enough confidence to support a SAF project today?
- Looking at the role of feedstock security, technology readiness, policy durability and long-term revenue visibility in investment decisions
- Why some projects attract capital while others struggle to convert interest into commitments
Stream C · Voluntary Market
Building Internal Airline Buy-In for SAF: Revenue, cost, data, and resolving friction points
Speakers
Angela Rosenwood, SAF and Sustainability Program Manager, Alaska Air
Margaux Thoyer-Rozat, Sustainable Aviation Fuel Manager, Air France
Shaad Shaikh, Senior Category Manager- Fuel & De-icing, Porter Airlines
- SAF adoption does not happen through sustainability teams alone, so how can airlines get revenue, fuel procurement, finance, operations, and customer teams aligned?
- From term sheet to signed offtake: how do pricing structure, volume flexibility, tenor, credit support and risk allocation affect internal approval?
- Unpacking cost allocation, customer value, fuel-ticketing, registry data and avoiding double counting
- What systems do airlines need to manage long-term SAF commitments, track delivery and reconcile environmental attributes?
Stream D · Innovation
Bring a Blocker, Find a Fix: The SAF problem forum
- Structured networking session — got a challenge you can’t solve alone? Delegates are invited to take the stage for a few minutes to share a real commercial, technical or operational blocker and explain what help they need. If you have an idea, solution or useful connection, find them afterwards and continue the conversation.
2:55 PM
A & C: 2:55 – 3:15 PM · B: 2:55 – 3:25 PM
Stream A · Policy & Trade
APAC’s New SAF Policy Playbook and What It Means for North America
Speakers
Dr. Shen Wang, Senior Partner / Founder, Green Development Institute / SAFPAC Inc
Gabriel Ho, Founder & CSO, ASAFA
- Mapping where APAC is emerging as a serious producer, buyer, and competitive force across SAF, eSAF, and ethanol-to-jet
- India’s roadmap, Korea’s 2027 mandate, Singapore’s levy delay and wider APAC market design: which signals are translating into demand, and which remain tentative?
- Drawing out the lessons for North America as governments weigh how to support SAF growth without challenging affordability or domestic competitiveness
Stream B · Finance
45Z in Practice: What developers, producers and buyers need to understand now
Speakers
Brandon McMurtry, Physical Scientist, Office of Policy, US Department of Energy
Greg Stati, Compliance Director, Montana Renewables
- Feedstock eligibility, emissions methodology, and registration requirements: what 45Z rules mean in practice for project design, sourcing strategy, and timing
- Transferability, anti-abuse provisions, related-party sales, and recordkeeping: where tax structure and commercial structure now need to line up more tightly
Stream C · Voluntary Market
Scope 3 Procurement: What corporate buyers need from the industry to strengthen the voluntary market
Speakers
Giorgio Parolini, Clean Skies for Tomorrow, World Economic Forum
Marie LaRiviere, Head of Low Carbon Fuel Strategy, Amazon
- What do corporate buyers now need from airlines, suppliers, intermediaries, and standards bodies on claims, pricing, contract structures, and data visibility?
- Insets, book and claim, long-term deals, limited assurance, disclosure pressure and the challenges of making the voluntary market easier to navigate
- Developing credible environmental-attribute markets around SAF: what is needed to create clearer ownership, pricing, transfer and retirement of attributes without undermining trust or creating double-counting risk?
3:15 PM
A & C: 3:15 – 3:55 PM · B: 3:25 – 3:55 PM
Stream A · Policy & Trade
When Oil Spikes, What Happens to SAF? Geopolitics, energy security and pricing realities
Speakers
Jade Patterson, Energy Specialist, Bloomberg NEF
Charlie Little, Senior Associate - Fuels & Molecules, Currence
- Oil shocks, jet-fuel volatility and renewable-fuel history: what periods of market stress reveal about renewables pricing, relative competitiveness and demand behavior
- How should the SAF market think about pricing when geopolitical conflict drives volatility across oil and jet fuel markets?
- What do sustained fuel shocks mean for project confidence, domestic supply strategy, and the case for building a more resilient U.S. SAF market?
- From surcharges to fare increases and capacity cuts: influences on demand behaviour
Stream B · Finance
Creative Risk Sharing Under Policy Uncertainty and Exploring What Actually Gets Deals Over the Line
Speakers
Robert Boyd, Head of Finvest, ICAO
Melissa Wilson, CEO, Colton Alexander Securities
Prathama Nabi, Investment Banking, Energy Transition Group, Barclays
- Exploring innovative risk-sharing structures that are getting projects over the line
- How are producers, airlines and investors balancing policy uncertainty, offtake pressure and return expectations?
- What forms of partnership are emerging as the market becomes more execution-focused?
Stream C · Voluntary Market
Book and Claim Beyond the Pilot Phase: What will make the voluntary market scalable and trusted?
Speakers
Senior Representative, GMA Center
- What progress has really been made on registry interoperability, claims guidance, assurance and the treatment of SAF attributes across borders?
- The buyer perspective: clearer rules, stronger data, and more consistent claims treatment across GHGP, SBTi, registries, airlines, and fuel suppliers
- Registry interoperability, attribute issuance/retirement, limited assurance and accepted claims: what still has to line up for book and claim to become infrastructure
- Examining reporting challenges that still limit wider adoption
No sessions found.
My Agenda
November 4–6, 2026 · Marriott Marquis, Houston
Be in the Room
Where SAF Gets Done
800 leaders. 95+ speakers. 3 days. Producers, airlines, investors and policymakers — the entire North American SAF value chain, in one building.
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SAF ProducersAirlinesInvestors & FinanciersFeedstock SuppliersPolicymakersEPCs & EngineersFuel TechnologyAirportsCorporate BuyerseFuels & HydrogenLogistics & InfrastructureCertification Bodies