Feedstock Readiness Level

As a result of the implementation of the CAAFI Fuel Readiness Level, the CAAFI R&D team identified the need for a separate evaluation of feedstock readiness to complement the FRL. CAAFI therefore approached the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to collaborate on the development of a Feedstock Readiness Level (FSRL), which was accomplished under a Memorandum of Agreement between USDA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The Feedstock Readiness Level (FSRL) Tool is a companion to the CAAFI® Readiness Level (FRL) Tool. The FSRL Tool provides a means of tracking development and availability of the raw materials (or feedstocks) required to make alternative jet fuels. In detailing the steps necessary to establish feedstock production in the commercial sector, a complete supply chain systems context is implied. The FSRL Tool covers four components: (1) Production, (2) Market, (3) Policy - Program Support and Regulatory Compliance, and (4) Linkage to Conversion Processes. The FSRL Tool components parallel the FRL. This approach provides an integrated way to demonstrate the mutual requirements of feedstocks and conversion technologies.

As part of the Farm 2 Fly 2.0 Initiative (F2F2), CAAFI has established the F2F2 Feedstock Readiness Level Evaluations Repository, and is collecting evaluations of feedstock readiness levels for region/feedstock/process combinations. The Feedstock Readiness Level Tool is an Excel Workbook that contains an Introduction sheet providing instructions for completing an evaluation, an evaluation overview sheet for information relating to yield and potential scale of production, two evaluation checklists (one for crops and woody species and one for agriculture and forest residues—the user should choose the appropriate sheet), and a summary report template for the feedstock evaluated. Examples of how to use the checklist can be found on the repository, which also contains a summary table of the evaluations. CAAFI welcomes evaluation submissions from researchers and other stakeholders. Please contact info@caafi.org with any questions about the document or to submit completed evaluations.