A Feedstock Readiness Level Tool to Complement the Aviation Industry Fuel Readiness Level Tool

• Published in: Bioenergy research Vol. 5; no. 2; pp. 492 - 503
• Main Authors: Steiner, Jeffrey J., Lewis, Kristin C., Baumes, Harry S., Brown, Nathan L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.06.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aeronautics; Agricultural research; Aircraft; Alternative energy sources; Aviation; Biodiesel fuels; Biofuels; Biomass; Biomass energy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Commercialization; Communication; Complement; Conversion; Energy policy; Feedstock; Fuels; Life Sciences; Markets; Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant Ecology; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Sciences; R&D; Raw materials; Research & development; Sorghum; Studies; Supply chains; Wood Science & Technology; United States > US; Biofuel; Aviation; Readiness; Feedstocks; Technology
• ISSN: 1939-1234; 1939-1242
• DOI: 10.1007/s12155-012-9187-1

The Feedstock Readiness Level (FSRL) tool was developed by the US Department of Agriculture, US Federal Aviation Administration, and Research and Innovative Technology Administration to describe the steps involved in bringing plant-based feedstocks to market for aviation biofuels production. A candidate feedstock is assigned a FSRL level from 1 through 9, indicating an increasing level of maturity towards commercialization. The FSRL level also communicates the state of development of a feedstock concurrent with its readiness for use with a conversion process. There are four components to the FSRL (production, market, policy, and linkage to conversion process), each with one to four tollgate descriptions per readiness level. The FSRL tool was structured to complement the Fuel Readiness Level (FRL) tool in use by the aviation industry as an internationally recognized communication best practice. Similarly, the FSRL can be used to identify gaps in any feedstock supply chain designed for any biofuel or conversion process that provides a market for feedstocks. This integrated feedstock and conversion technology approach can facilitate a coordinated allocation of resources to effectively plan for and develop a viable aviation biofuels industry.