Glossary
Below is a list of terms and definitions in alphabetical order:
A
| Term | Definition |
| A4A | See " Airlines for America" |
| ABFA | See "Advanced Biofuels Association" |
| ACI-NA | See "Airports Council International - North America" |
| ACRP | See "Airport Cooperative Research Program" |
| Advanced Biofuels Association | Engage federal and state lawmakers to ensure technology and feedstock neutrality and sustainability, as well as tax credit and incentive parity between first generation and second generation biofuel initiatives. |
| AEE | See "Association of Energy Engineers" or "FAA - Office of Environment and Energy" |
| Aerospace Industries Association | A trade association representing the nation's aerospace and defense manufacturers. |
| AFRL | See "Air Force Research Laboratory" |
| AIA | See "Aerospace Industries Association" |
| Air Force Research Laboratory | The United States Air Force's organization dedicated to the discovery, development, and integration of military technologies for air, space and cyberspace forces. |
| Airlines for America | The airline trade association representing the nation’s airlines. |
| Airport Cooperative Research Program | Carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies. |
| Airports Council International - North America | Represents local, regional and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. |
| ALTA | See "Asociacion Latinoamericana de Transporte Aereo" |
| Asociacion Latinoamericana de Transporte Aereo | A private law entity nonprofit composed of airlines in Latin America and the Caribbean, which aims to combine and coordinate the efforts of its members to facilitate the development of air transport in Latin America and strengthen the channels of collaboration and communication for mutual benefit of industry and its users. |
| Alternative fuels | Non-conventional fuels (including biofuels such as biodiesel or ethanol, hydrogen, electricity-storing batteries, fuel cells), often with improved environmental footprints, that are derived from non-petroleum sources. |
| American Petroleum Institute | A national trade association that represents all aspects of the United States' oil and natural gas industry. |
| AOPL | See "Association of Oil Pipelines" |
| API | See "American Petroleum Institute" |
| Association of Energy Engineers | A nonprofit professional society “to promote the scientific and educational interests of those engaged in the energy industry and to foster action for sustainable development.” |
| Association of Oil Pipelines | A United States based nonprofit organization whose membership comprises owners and operators of liquid pipelines. |
| ASTM D1655 | Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels |
| ASTM D7566 | Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons |
| ASTM International | Originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). A voluntary standards development organizations. ASTM International specifications are used for the certification of jet fuel. |
B
| Term | Definition |
| Barrel of Oil Equivalent | A term used to summarize the amount of energy that is equivalent to the amount of energy found in a barrel of crude oil. Also known as Crude Oil Equivalent |
| Biofuel | Renewable fuels derived from biological materials that can be regenerated. This distinguishes them from fossil fuels, which are considered nonrenewable. Examples of biofuels for ground transport are ethanol, methanol, and biodiesel. Biofuels compatible with aviation can include Fischer-Tropsch or hydrotreated jet fuel made from plant or animal sources or hydrocarbons synthesized by genetically modified organisms (synthetic biology). |
| Biomass | Biomass is any mass that has been produced by the growth and resource use of living organisms; therefore any plant, animal, or bacterial material is biomass (e.g., leaves, wood chips, algae). |
| BOE | See "Crude Oil Equivalent" or "Barrel of Oil Equivalent" |
| BTL | Biomass to Liquid (BTL) is the process to produce liquid biofuels from biomass, usually referring to gasification and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis |
C
| Term | Definition |
| CAAFI | See "Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative" |
| Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative | A coalition of airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, energy producers, researchers, international participants and U.S. government agencies. Together these stakeholders are leading the development and deployment of alternative jet fuels for commercial aviation |
| Carbon capture and sequestration | A process of capturing carbon dioxide emissions to prevent them from going into the atmosphere, and then storing them permanently. A commonly discussed strategy is to store captured CO2 by pumping it underground into geological formations. There are also discussion of biological capture and sequestration in trees, algae etc. In both cases "permanency" of solution is yet to be proven |
| Carbon dioxide | Enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of other chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is also removed from the atmosphere (or “sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. |
| Carbon neutral growth | An industry, sector, or company continues to expand its activities without further increases in greenhouse gas emission. |
| Catalysis | The process in which the rate of a chemical reaction is either increased or decreased by means of a chemical substance. |
| Catalyst | A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any change. |
| CBTL | See "Coal/Biomass to Liquids" |
| CCS | See "carbon capture and sequestration" |
| Cellulose | The structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants, many forms of algae and the oomycetes. It is made up of cross-linked sugar molecules and is very difficult to break down. A "cellulosic" biofuel production process would degrade cellulose sufficiently to make the sugars accessible for further processing. |
| Certification | Refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. |
| CH4 | See "methane" |
| CLEEN | See "Continuous Low Energy Emissions and Noise" |
| CO | Carbon monoxide |
| CO2 | See "carbon dioxide" |
| Coal/Biomass to Liquid (fuels) | A process by which coal and biomass are turned into synthetic hydrocarbons, often via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. |
| Coal to Liquid (fuels) | A process referred to as coal liquefaction – allows coal to be utilized as an alternative to oil. There are two different methods for converting coal into liquid fuels: Direct liquefaction works by dissolving the coal in a solvent at high temperature and pressure. This process is highly efficient, but the liquid products require further refining to achieve high grade fuel characteristics. Indirect liquefaction gasifies the coal to form a ‘syngas’ (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide). The syngas is then condensed over a catalyst – the ‘Fischer-Tropsch’ process – to produce high quality, ultra-clean products. |
| COE | See "Crude Oil Equivalent" or "Barrel of Oil Equivalent" |
| Commercial aviation | A sector of the U.S. economy comprising scheduled and nonscheduled passenger and cargo airlines, aviation manufacturers, airport and aircraft service providers (including government services) and air cargo service providers. |
| Consortium | An association or a combination, as of businesses, financial institutions, or investors, for the purpose of engaging in a joint venture. |
| Continuous Low Energy Emissions and Noise | Program to develop and foster industry acceptance of new technologies that reduce environmental impacts |
| Crack Spread | The difference between crude oil and refined petroleum product prices, when expressed in similar units, is known as the crack spread. For example, if crude oil costs $60 per barrel and jet fuel costs $75 per barrel, the jet fuel crack spread is $15 per barrel. |
| Cracking (of fuel) | Term used in the oil refining industry, meaning to "crack" crude oil, which is to break down the long-chain hydrocarbons in the crude oil into shorter chains. Also used with regard to the breaking of long-chain fatty acid derivatives (usually C18-C22) or synthetic waxes (e.g., from Fischer-Tropsch) to the jet fuel range (C8-C14). |
| Crude oil | A mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in the liquid phase in natural underground reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through surface-separating facilities. The U.S. benchmark for crude oil prices is West Texas Intermediate (WTI), measured in Cushing, Oklahoma. |
| Crude Oil Equivalent | A term used to summarize the amount of energy that is equivalent to the amount of energy found in a barrel of crude oil. Also known as Barrel of Oil Equivalent |
| Csoot | “soot” particles |
| CTL | See "Coal to Liquid" |
D
| Term | Definition |
| DARPA | See "Defense Advanced Research Program Agency" |
| Defense Advanced Research Program Agency | The research and development office for the U.S. Department of Defense. |
| Defense Energy Support Center | The fuel purchaser for the U.S. Government that provides the Department of Defense and other government agencies with comprehensive energy solutions. |
| Defense Logistics Agency | The U.S. Department of Defense's Logistics combat support agency, provides worldwide logistics support to the military services as well as several civilian agencies and foreign countries. |
| Department of Defense | The U.S. Department of Defense is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. |
| Department of Energy | The mission of the U.S. Department of Energy is to advance energy technology and promote related innovation in the United States |
| Department of Transportation | The mission of the U.S. Department of Transportation is to develop and coordinate policies that will provide an efficient and economical national transportation system, with due regard for need, the environment, and the national defense. |
| Deployment | Commercialization and commercial use of a new technology such as alternative fuels. |
| DESC | See "Defense Energy Support Center" |
| DLA | See "Defense Logistics Agency" |
| DOD | See "Department of Defense" |
| DOE | See "Department of Energy" |
| DOT | See "Department of Transportation" |
| Drop-in jet fuel blend | A substitute for conventional jet fuel, that is completely interchangeable and compatible with conventional jet fuel when blended with conventional jet fuel. A drop-in fuel blend does not require adaptation of the aircraft/engine fuel system or the fuel distribution network, and can be used “as is” on currently flying turbine-powered aircraft. |
| Drop-in neat jet fuel | A substitute for conventional jet fuel, that is completely interchangeable and compatible with conventional jet fuel. A drop-in neat fuel does not require adaptation of the aircraft/engine fuel system or the fuel distribution network, and can be used “as is” on currently flying turbine-powered aircraft in pure form and/or blended in any amount with other drop-in neat, drop-in blend, or conventional jet fuels. |
E
| Term | Definition |
| EIA | See "Energy Information Administration" |
| Energy Information Adminstration | U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration provides official energy analysis, information and statistics. |
| EPA | See "Environmental Protection Agency" |
| EtOH | The molecular formula for Ethanol is C2H5OH. Ethanol is often abbreviated as EtOH, using the common organic chemistry notation of representing the ethyl group (C2H5) with Et and the Hydroxyl group with OH. Ethanol is a product of fermentation. However, it is not compatible with existing turbine-powered aircraft or infrastructure. |
| Environmental Protection Agency | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enforces U.S. environmental protection laws. |
F
| Term | Definition |
| FAA | See "Federal Aviation Administration" |
| Federal Aviation Administration | The U.S. government agency responsible for U.S. aviation safety regulation, aviation planning and policy, and operation of the national airspace system including the provision of air navigation services (air traffic control). |
| FAA Office of Environment and Energy | Recommends, and coordinates national aviation policy relating to environmental and energy matters, which includes noise and emissions. |
| FAME | See "Fatty Acid Methyl Ester" |
| Fatty Acid Methyl Ester | More commonly referred to as biodiesel. This is traditional biodiesel, produced by processing raw vegetable oil or animal fats through a chemical process called transesterification. While it is used in diesel surface vehicles, FAME is not considered a suitable "drop in" fuel for jet aircraft |
| Fatty acids | Organic acids from which fats and oils are made. These can be used as feedstocks for HRJ fuels. |
| FBO | See "Fixed-Based Operator" |
| Federal Energy Regulatory Commission | The federal agency with jurisdiction over, among other things, interstate natural gas pricing, oil pipeline rates and gas pipeline certification. |
| Feedstock | Raw material required for an industrial process and more specifically for the production of an alternative fuel. |
| FERC | See "Federal Energy Regulatory Commission" |
| Fermentation | Any of a group of chemical reactions induced by living or nonliving ferments that split complex organic compounds into relatively simple substances. Often used to refer to sugar processing by microorganisms to form ethanol or, in the case of advanced fermentation, hydrocarbons or other synthetic chemicals. |
| Fischer-Tropsch | Is a catalyzed chemical reaction in which synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, is converted into liquid hydrocarbons of various forms. Named for German researchers Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch |
| Fixed-Based Operator | The primary provider of services to general aviation aircraft and operators located at or adjacent to an airport. General aviation refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. |
| Fluorinated Gases | Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are sometimes used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (i.e., CFCs, HCFCs, and halons). These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities, but because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred to as High Global Warming Potential gases (“High GWP gases”). |
| Fossil Fuels | Any naturally occurring organic fuel formed in the Earth’s crust, such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. Formed by fossilization of organic material deposited by decaying plant/animal matter. |
| FRJ | See "Fermented Renewable Jet" |
| Fermented Renewable Jet | A biofuel created by a synthetic biology process in which metabolic processes involved in fermentation have been co-opted by genetically modifying organisms to produce hydrocarbons in place of ethanol. |
| FRL | See "Fuel Readiness Level" |
| FSA | See "Fuel Supply Agreement" |
| FT Fuel | Fuel produced by the Fischer-Tropsch method |
| FT Process | See "Fischer–Tropsch" |
| Fuel Farm | Holding place where fuel resides. |
| Fuel Readiness Level | A scale developed by CAAFI that provides a way to objectively measure how close a particular alternative fuel or feedstock is to successful deployment for jet fuel production. |
| Fuel supply agreement | A document that contains details on an agreement between a seller and buyer for a commitment to sell and to purchase fuel. The agreement will contain name of buyer, the seller, term, product specification, volume, price, payment terms, delivery points, contacts and any other terms and conditions related to the transaction. |
G
| Term | Definition |
| Gasification | It is a manufacturing process that converts any material containing carbon—such as coal, petroleum coke (petcoke), or biomass—into synthesis gas (syngas). |
| General aviation | A term used to describe all non-military and non-airline flying, encompassing everything from recreational aircraft to experimental aircraft to privately owned and operated business jets. General aviation flies according to FAA’s part 91 or 135 rules. |
| GHG | See greenhouse gases |
| Global warming potential | The cumulative radiative forcing effects of a gas over a specified time horizon resulting from the emission of a unit mass of gas relative to a reference gas. Used to compare different green-house-gases with each other on a relative basis |
| Greenhouse gases (GHG) | Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. The principal greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere because of human activities are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. |
| GWP | See "global warming potential" |
H
| Term | Definition |
| H2O | Water (solid, liquid or vapor). |
| HAPs | See "hazardous air pollutants" |
| Hazardous air pollutants | Defined in the Clean Air Act (1990) as air pollutants that are known to cause or may reasonably be anticipated to cause adverse effects to human health or adverse environmental effects. The list of pollutants is available online and comprises approximately 200 individual compounds. |
| HRJ | Hydrotreated Renewable Jet fuel. |
| Hydrocarbons | Substances containing only hydrogen and carbon. Fossil fuels are made up of hydrocarbons. As are synthetic drop-in jet fuels. |
| Hydroprocessing | Any of several chemical engineering processes including hydrogenation, hydrocracking and hydrotreating, especially as part of oil refining |
| Hydrotreating | Process that removes sulfur and nitrogen in petroleum refineries to improve the quality of gasoline, jet fuels and diesel fuel |
I
| Term | Definition |
| IATA | See "International Air Transport Association" |
| ICAO | See "International Civil Aviation Organization" |
| IEA | See "International Energy Agency" |
| Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change | The leading body for the assessment of climate change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences. |
| International Energy Agency | Intergovernmental organization which acts as energy policy advisor to 28 member countries in their effort to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for their citizens. Founded during the oil crisis of 1973-74, the IEA’s initial role was to co-ordinate measures in times of oil supply emergencies. As energy markets have changed,its mandate has broadened to incorporate energy security, economic development and environmental protection. |
| International Air Transport Association | Industry group operating as a vehicle for inter-airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical air services - for the benefit of the world's consumers |
| International Civil Aviation Organization | An organization of the United Nations responsible for cooperative regulation of international civil aviation. |
| IPCC | See "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" |
J
| Term | Definition |
| Jet A | Jet A is a kerosene type of fuel, produced to an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specification and normally only available in the U.S.A. It has the same flash point as Jet A-1 but a higher freeze point maximum (-40°C). It is supplied against the ASTM D1655 (Jet A) specification. |
| Jet fuel | The term includes kerosene-type jet fuel and naphtha-type jet fuel. Kerosene-type jet fuel is used primarily for commercial turbojet and turboprop aircraft engines. Naphtha-type jet fuel has been largely phased out but was used primarily for military turbojet and turboprop aircraft engines |
| Joule | A unit of work or energy symbolized by the letter J |
K
| Term | Definition |
| Kyoto Protocol | An international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Kyoto Protocol sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions . |
L
| Term | Definition |
| Land use change | A greenhouse gas inventory sector that covers emissions and removals of greenhouse gases resulting from direct, human-induced land use, land-use change and forestry activities. This term can also refer to indirect land use changes that may occur as a result of changes in resource use and consumption patterns (i.e., potential land-use change in other locations due to use of a local crop for biofuel production). |
| LCA | Life cycle analyses (LCA) looks at the whole picture of how a fuel is made, from "cradle to grave." In the case of biofuels generally refers to greenhouse gas emissions or CO2 emissions from initiation of feedstock production to combustion of the fuel in a vehicle. |
| Limited liability company | A business structure similar to a corporation, in which owners have limited personal liability for the debts and actions of the LLC. Other features of LLCs are more like a partnership, providing management flexibility and the benefit of pass-through taxation. |
| Liquefaction | A process by which natural gas is converted into a liquid. Also a process by which coal is converted into synthetic fuels. Can also refer to biomass liquefaction at high pressure and moderate temperature that results in the production of low-oxygen bio-oil, which can be used as, or further refined into, hydrocarbon fuel. |
| LLC | See "limited liability company" |
| LTO | Landing and take-off emissions (LTO) All aircraft activities that take place at altitudes under 914 meters (3.000 feet), including taxi-in and -out, take-off, climb-out and approach-landing. |
M
| Term | Definition |
| Mega Joule | One million joules symbolized by MJ |
| Megaton (i.e., of CO2) | One million tons |
| Memorandum of Understanding | A document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in situations where the parties cannot create a legally enforceable agreement. |
| Methane (CH4, natural gas) | Both a source of energy (natural gas) and a potent greenhouse gas. Methane remains in the atmosphere for approximately 9-15 years. Methane is over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 100-year period and is emitted from a variety of natural and human-influenced sources. Human-influenced sources include landfills, natural gas and petroleum systems, agricultural activities (particularly livestock), coal mining, stationary and mobile combustion, wastewater treatment, and certain industrial process. Methane emissions also result from the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills. |
| Metric ton | 1,000 kilograms or 2,205 pounds |
| MOU | See "memorandum of understanding" |
N
| Term | Definition |
| N2O | Nitrous oxide |
| NASA | See "National Aeronautics Space Administration" |
| NATA | See "National Air Transportation Association" |
| National Aeronautics Space Administration | The U.S. agency in charge of space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research. |
| National Air Transportation Association | A trade organization representing aviation service businesses such as fixed base operators, charter providers, aircraft management companies including those supporting fractional shareholders, maintenance and repair organizations, flight training and airline service companies. Promotes safety and the success of aviation service businesses. |
| NERD | NERD is Non-Esterified Renewable Diesel. There are several varieties of this type of biodiesel, also known as renewable diesel. The most advanced of these is produced through hydrotreating—the same process that is already used in today’s petroleum refineries. HRJ is an example of a NERD fuel. |
| Nitrogen oxides | Gases that contribute to ozone formation in the troposphere, where it acts as a greenhouse gas. |
| Nitrous oxide | A greenhouse gas, emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste. |
| NOx | Nitrogen oxides |
O
| Term | Definition |
| O2 | Oxygen |
| O3 | Ozone |
| OEM | An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components which are purchased by a purchasing company and retailed under the purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. |
| Offtake agreement | An agreement between a producer of a resource and a buyer of a resource to purchase/sell portions of the producer's future production. |
| Olefins | Any of a class of unsaturated open-chain hydrocarbons such as ethylene, having the general formula CnH2n |
| Oligomerization | A chemical process by which smaller chemical units are polymerized into molecule with a finite, determined number of units. |
| Ozone | An atmospheric gas. A stratospheric layer of ozone protects the earth from UV radiation. When formed in the troposphere, often through the reaction of oxygen molecules with pollutants such as NOx, ozone acts as a greenhouse gas. |
P
| Term | Definition |
| Particulate matter | The term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air resulting from fuel combustion. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small, they can only be detected using an electron microscope. PM has health consequences when inhaled and is regulated by the EPA. |
| PARTNER | See "Partnership for AiR Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction" |
| Partnership for AiR Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction | A FAA/NASA/Transport Canada-sponsored Center of Excellence that focuses on aviation research, including the development of "breakthrough technological, operational, policy, and workforce advances for the betterment of mobility, economy, national security, and the environment." (PARTNER website) |
| Petroleum | A generic term applied to oil and oil products in all forms, such as crude oil, lease condensate, unfinished oils, petroleum products, natural gas plant liquids, and non-hydrocarbon compounds blended into finished petroleum products. |
| Pipeline | A pipe used to transport liquids or gases |
| PM | See "particulate matter" |
| Pyrolysis | Production of bio-oil from biomass by heating at low pressure and high temperature in the absence of oxygen. |
Q
| Term | Definition |
| Qualification (of fuel) | Qualification processes are used by specification-writing organizations such as ASTM International to develop new fuel specifications, or to revise existing specifications, to add a new alternative fuel. These qualification processes will include a technical evaluation of the fuel followed by development of the specification requirements and criteria. |
R
| Term | Definition |
| Refinery | A production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value. |
| Refining | The process of purification of a substance or a form |
| Renewable Energy | Energy generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished). |
S
| Term | Definition |
| S | Sulfur |
| SO2 | Sulfur dioxide |
| SOx | Sulfur oxides - an important component of emissions from fuel combustion that can contribute to particulate matter formation and acid rain. |
| Stranded assets | An asset that is worth less on the market than it is on a balance sheet due to the fact that it has become obsolete in advance of complete depreciation |
| Supply chain | A system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer |
| Sustainable energy | The provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs |
| Sustainable Way for Alternative Fuel and Energy in Aviation | An alternative fuel for aviation initiative funded by the European Commission. |
| SWAFEA | see "Sustainable Way for Alternative Fuel and Energy in Aviation" |
| Syngas | See "synthesis gas" |
| Synthesis gas | A mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen created by gasification of high carbon-content materials such as coal or biomass. Gasification to form synthesis gas is a part of the Fischer-Tropsch process for producing synthetic hydrocarbons. |
| Synthetic biology | Synthetic biology refers to both the design and fabrication of biological components and systems that do not already exist in the natural world and the re-design and fabrication of existing biological systems. currently being used by some biofuels companies to convert raw materials into hydrocarbons using biological processes. |
| Synthetic fuel | Liquid fuel obtained from coal, natural gas, or biomass |
| Synthetic jet fuel | Jet fuel made from non-petroleum sources. When this fuel is a "drop-in" fuel, it is also called synthetic paraffinic kerosene. The specifications (ASTM 7566) for synthetic jet fuel for commercial aviation use was passed by the aviation fuels subcommittee of ASTM International, the standards development organization. |
| SPK | See "synthetic paraffinic kerosene" |
| Synthetic paraffinic kerosene | Synthetic jet fuel that has similar characteristics to standard petroleum based jet fuel (kerosene). See also "synthetic jet fuel." |
T
| Term | Definition |
| Tank farm | A facility for storage of liquid petroleum products or petrochemicals |
| Throughput | The rate at which something can be processed |
| TRB | Transportation Research Board |
| Triglycerides | The primary constituent of vegetable oils composed of three fatty acid molecules attached to a single glycerol molecule. |
U
| Term | Definition |
| UHCs | Unburned hydrocarbons |
| ULS | Ultra Low Sulfur |
| Ultra Low Sulfur | Refers to fuels from which sulfur has been removed to reduce particulate matter from emissions. Its most prevalent application currently is for diesel. |
| Uplift | Amount of fuel drawn from a particular facility for aircraft operations. |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| USDA | United States Department of Agriculture |
W
| Term | Definition |
| West Texas Intermediate | Also known as Texas Light Sweet, is a type of crude oil used as a benchmark in oil pricing and the underlying commodity of New York Mercantile Exchange's oil futures contracts |
| WTI | See "West Texas Intermediate" |
Y
| Term | Definition |
| Yellow Grease | Recycled used cooking oil. Used as a feedstock for biodiesel production |