A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Senior Editor

Curt Epstein

Japanese energy giant Idemitsu Kosan has partnered with California-based agriculture company Terviva to explore the use of pongamia as an oilseed feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.&nbsp;Pongamia—a legume tree native to eastern and tropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands—produces oil-rich seeds.
Terviva has developed high-yield varieties and proprietary technology for processing the seeds and utilizing and monetizing the product left over after oil extraction in various ways. Idemitsu, which has invested in Terviva, will leverage its fuel expertise to accelerate the development and adoption of pongamia-derived SAF using the HEFA production pathway.&nbsp;The two companies will team up with Stanmore, an Australian coal resource company, to establish a pilot plantation in Queensland, Australia, using Terviva’s high-yield pongamia cultivar.&nbsp;
Idemitsu aims to develop a supply pipeline to produce more than 130 million gallons (nearly 500,000 kiloliters) of SAF annually by 2028.
“Our pongamia genetics have been proven through extensive field trials on over a thousand acres, using propriety data analytics and farming techniques to drive maximal yield, minimize cost, and promote sustainable cultivation,” said Terviva founder and CEO Naveen Sikka. “The end result is a complete pongamia farming package that creates a low cost, low carbon, and high-quality form of oil and protein, revolutionary for a global agriculture industry that is confronting climate change.”

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Japanese/U.S. Companies Invest in New SAF Feedstock Trial

Oilseed crop pongamia could provide a stable raw material supply

Japan's Idemitsu Kosan partnered with agriculture company Terviva to explore the use of pongamia as an oilseed feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Plantation Established in Australia for SAF Feedstock

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Orgs say 10 years is necessary to ensure market certainty

Aviation Orgs Urge Congress To Extend Clean Fuel Credit

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

The company was the first to bring SAF to Switzerland starting in 2020

Jet Aviation Adds Basel Headquarters to SAF Supply Locations

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Green fuel to be offered by ACI Jet, the lone FBO on the field

Another California Airport Joining the SAF Set

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Association notes production ramp-ups have been delayed

IATA Disappointed in Slow SAF Growth

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

More In Environment

Aviation Orgs Urge Congress To Extend Clean Fuel Credit

Orgs say 10 years is necessary to ensure market certainty

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The company was the first to bring SAF to Switzerland starting in 2020

Another California Airport Joining the SAF Set

Green fuel to be offered by ACI Jet, the lone FBO on the field

IATA Disappointed in Slow SAF Growth

Association notes production ramp-ups have been delayed

Green Aviation Takes Root in France's Aerospace Valley

Organization holds its sixth annual Green Aero Days event in Toulouse

RTX Launches Sustainability Alliance With Dutch Aerospace Sector

Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney are committed to new R&D efforts in the Netherlands

EU's Clean Aviation Set to Invite Proposals for Decarbonization R&D Work

Total funding for the third phase of work could top €950 million

Florida FBO Becomes First on East Coast To Offer SAF

Naples Aviation is the first of many to begin offering SAF in the coming months

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