WSU Tri-Cities
Sustainable Options in Aviation Research Laboratory
State-of-the-art facility focused on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) research and development providing testing services to North American and European collaborators.
Testing services
SOAR
Partnering with over 35 other institutions and private entities, the Sustainable Options in Aviation Research (SOAR) lab offers applied research services, in-demand testing methodologies, and equipment to advance the region as a leader in emerging low-carbon aviation energy solutions.
The aerospace industry is committed to ‘net-zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. To achieve the goal, roughly 2,500 new sustainable aviation fuel production facilitates will be commissioned by 2050; 3 billion gallons of SAF by 2030 and 35 billion gallons of SAF by 2050. We commit to achieve this goal through innovative, cost-effective technologies. This specialized research lab at the WSU Tri-Cities campus is uniquely positioned to lead SAF research and innovation.
In the news
- Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation fuel at Paine Field is getting a $10 million boost for sure, and perhaps $10 million more, if Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signs funding bills passed by the state Legislature into law. In March 2023, officials announced plans for the center to be established at Paine Field by 2027. […]
- Paine Field sustainable aviation fuel centersecures $20 million in new funding The planned research facility received a substantial financial boost, including $10 million from an anonymous donor. Read the full article here.
- WSU Tri-Cities researcher helps put university at top of his field Washington State University’s sustainable aviation fuels research is getting noticed. A recent study published in the journal Heliyon found that WSU is globally the top contributing organization to scientific literature on the field of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), based on an analysis of articles, papers, editorials, and news items published from 2001 to 2023. Researchers from WSU’s College of […]
- New continuous reaction process can help turn plant waste into sustainable aviation fuel Washington State University scientists successfully tested a new way to produce sustainable jet fuel from lignin-based agricultural waste. Published in the journal Fuel Processing Technology, the team’s research demonstrated a continuous process that directly converts lignin polymers, one of the chief components of plant cells, into a form of jet fuel that could help improve performance of […]
- Creating an Unprecedented Hub for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Nestled in Washington’s Snohomish County, Seattle Paine Field International Airport—while unremarkable to travelers—is a crucial hub for aviation innovation and maintenance. An initiative from Washington State University (WSU) and Snohomish County leaders is aiming to make Paine Field a nexus for testing and improving sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) made from non-petroleum materials like municipal waste and biomass. […]