North American SAF Conference adds Boeing, Alaska Airlines and USDA speakers

The North American SAF Conference & Expo has expanded its Aug. 25-27 program in Tacoma with a new Tuesday afternoon general session featuring speakers from Boeing, Alaska Airlines, USDA and other aviation and fuel organizations. The added lineup is designed to spotlight policy, airport deployment and commercialization efforts shaping the sustainable aviation fuel market.

Why it matters: - The expanded opening session puts policy, production and airport adoption in one place before technical sessions begin. - The program is designed to show where sustainable aviation fuel growth is gaining traction across North America. - The conference is also adding programming tied to the link between sustainable aviation fuel and maritime biofuels.

What happened: - The North American SAF Conference & Expo added a new Tuesday afternoon General Session to its Aug. 25-27 event at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center in Tacoma, Washington. - The conference is produced by SAF Magazine and organized by BBI International in collaboration with CAAFI and the Canadian Sustainable Aviation Fuels Initiative. - The session will feature leaders from Boeing, Alaska Airlines, USDA, Montana Renewables, Earth Finance, Washington State University, Airports Council International–North America, San Francisco International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Avfuel, Vancouver International Airport and other organizations.

The details: - CAAFI executive director Steve Csonka will open the session with an overview of the current SAF landscape. - Csonka will then join USDA leadership for a fireside chat on federal policy, 45Z implementation, energy security and other industry priorities. - Csonka will also join Boeing’s Ryan Faucett and C-SAF’s Geoff Tauvette for a discussion on international SAF activity and future opportunities. - Earth Finance’s Jake Gentry will provide an update on the Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Accelerator. - Washington State University’s Dr. Josh Heyne will highlight the Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Institute and its role in advancing SAF commercialization. - A panel with Alaska Airlines’ Angela Rosenwood, Boeing’s Ryan Faucett and Montana Renewables’ Matthew Upmeyer will examine why the Pacific Northwest is emerging as a leading SAF production and deployment region. - Another set of discussions will focus on airport deployment efforts and regional leadership across North America. - Participants include Airports Council International–North America, San Francisco International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Avfuel, Vancouver International Airport, Air Canada and Advanced Biofuels Canada.

Between the lines: - The added session signals that conference organizers see SAF’s near-term debate shifting from broad promise to execution. - The focus on federal policy, 45Z and regional initiatives suggests the industry is still relying on a mix of government support and localized development. - The strong Pacific Northwest presence underscores how regional ecosystems are becoming a test bed for SAF commercialization.

What's next: - Attendees will get a first look at the newly launched Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Initiative during the conference. - The general session will run before the conference’s technical programming starts. - The conference agenda is available online through the event’s online agenda. - Registration, booth sales and sponsorships are open for the event.

The bottom line: - The North American SAF Conference is using its opening session to showcase the policy, infrastructure and partnerships most likely to move sustainable aviation fuel from pilot projects toward broader deployment.