Biomass Matters: Why Feedstock Choice Defines Sustainability

At Alder Renewables, our technology is built on a simple foundation: biomass. The sustainability and carbon intensity (CI) of our fuels depend on the quality of the feedstocks we use. While residues like sawdust or crop waste already deliver major greenhouse gas savings, purpose-grown energy crops offer the potential to go even further—improving soil health, storing atmospheric carbon below ground, and unlocking the possibility of carbon-negative fuels.

Miscanthus: A Perennial Crop for Carbon Storage

Miscanthus is a perennial grass that stores roughly half of its captured carbon below ground in extensive root systems, while requiring little irrigation, tilling, or fertilizer once established. Every ton harvested is matched by nearly a ton stored underground. This regenerative cycle enriches soils, reduces nutrient runoff, and builds long-term carbon reserves, aligning agriculture with decarbonization.

Field-to-Fuel Demonstration

Through a U.S. DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office award, Alder and its partners demonstrated a full miscanthus-to-fuel pathway:

Cultivation – Miscanthus grown by AGgrow Tech and tested by UIUC for carbon intensity. Results showed the potential for strongly negative biomass CI values.

Conversion to ARC – Biomass preprocessed at INL, fast pyrolyzed by BTG Bioliquids, and upgraded into ARC at NREL and Alder's facilities.

Refining & Testing – ARC refined into jet-range hydrocarbons with Honeywell UOP; fuel testing by WSU confirmed compatibility with 100% SAF requirements.

Key Results

Negative Carbon Intensity – Miscanthus-derived ARC-SAF achieved a lifecycle CI below -9 gCO_2eq/MJ, within ICAO benchmarks for carbon-negative fuels.

Superior Fuel Properties – Blending 70% miscanthus ARC-SAF with 30% HEFA-SAF produced Alder SAF100 with higher density, greater energy efficiency, and lower freezing point than HEFA alone.

Drop-In Compatibility – With aromatics present, the miscanthus Alder SAF100 ensures compatibility with today's aircraft systems while reducing soot formation.

Looking Ahead

Miscanthus-derived Alder SAF100 shows how purpose-grown energy crops can help aviation achieve not just low-carbon, but potentially carbon-negative fuel pathways. By integrating regenerative agriculture with advanced biocrude upgrading, we can decarbonize aviation while improving soils and reshaping land use for the better.

Recent Highlights

Building momentum with technology validation, strategic partnerships, and new projects

Scaling with Existing Refinery Infrastructure

Alder, BASF, National Laboratory of the Rockies, and North Atlantic Refining co-authored a new Hydrocarbon Processing article on coprocessing Alder Renewable Crude in fluid catalytic crackers. The work highlights a practical pathway to produce renewable fuels by integrating ARC into existing refinery FCC units, with improved handling, storage stability, and strong product yields.

Project Avance Milestone for Advanced Biofuels

Project Avance demonstrated barrel-scale ARC production from commercial fast pyrolysis oils derived from forestry residues. The campaign focused on the final unit operation in Alder’s process, showing consistent performance across different commercial pyrolysis feedstocks and supporting a flexible pathway to refinery integration and scale-up.

Alder SAF100: 100% Biogenic Jet Fuel

Alder SAF100 demonstrated a 100% biogenic jet-fuel blend using hydrotreated Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) as the majority component with a smaller share of HEFA-SAF. Testing showed favorable energy density and low-temperature properties, highlighting the potential for ARC-derived hydrocarbons to support next-generation SAF production.