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

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) made a nearly $3 billion investment in the future of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) this week with guaranteed loans to two major producers.
As part of the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the DOE’s loan program office issued a commitment for a finance package worth more than $1.4 billion to Calumet subsidiary Montana Renewables, which in the span of less than two years has become one of the largest SAF producers in the U.S. The loan would support the expansion of the company’s Great Falls, Montana facility from an output of 140 million gallons per year of biofuels (mainly renewable diesel) to 315 million gallons a year of mostly SAF.
That increased output alone would equal 10% of the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-09-10/white-house-rolls-out-initiatives-boost-saf">SAF Grand Challenge</a> 2030 goal of 3 billion gallons of SAF production annually.
The second announced loan from the DOE is to Gevo Net-Zero-1 to finance the first commercial-scale corn starch-to-jet fuel plant, to be located in Lake Preston, South Dakota. The $1.46 billion loan guarantee will enable the construction of the facility, which will use locally grown, low-cost, low-carbon field corn as a feedstock.
It will also use carbon capture and sequestration as well as renewable power to lower emissions. The plant is anticipated to create 60 million gallons of SAF a year, and as a byproduct, it would generate 1.3 billion pounds of high-protein animal feed and 30 million pounds of corn oil.
Both projects are expected to create jobs in their local areas and contribute to the economic growth of their states and surrounding areas.

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

Biden Administration Makes a $3B Investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Loan packages fund producers in Montana and South Dakota

The Biden Administration announced a major funding initiative for the SAF industry.

Biden Administration Swings Big on SAF

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Hanneke Weitering

Atlas platform rapidly formulates new battery materials 

Eonix Accelerates eVTOL Battery Development with Robotics and AI

Jessica Reed

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

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.

Initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of air transport 

Digital Solutions Drive Thales-led DECOR Project

Charles Alcock

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

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

ZeroAvia, Vertical Aerospace, and Rolls-Royce were among the award winners

Aerospace Technology Institute Awards Honor Innovators 

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

Improved catalytic converters slash harmful nitrogen emissions

Scientists Devise Cleaner Hydrogen Combustion Engines

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Pipistrel's Velis Electro two-seater is the only electric aircraft certified for passenger flights in the UK

UK's Electric Aircraft Fleet Grows, Mainly for 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.

All three Las Vegas airports will give operators the choice to participate

SAF Options Abound at NBAA-BACE

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.

More In Environment

Eonix Accelerates eVTOL Battery Development with Robotics and AI

Atlas platform rapidly formulates new battery materials

Digital Solutions Drive Thales-led DECOR Project

Initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of air transport

Aerospace Technology Institute Awards Honor Innovators

ZeroAvia, Vertical Aerospace, and Rolls-Royce were among the award winners

Scientists Devise Cleaner Hydrogen Combustion Engines

Improved catalytic converters slash harmful nitrogen emissions

UK's Electric Aircraft Fleet Grows, Mainly for Training

Pipistrel's Velis Electro two-seater is the only electric aircraft certified for passenger flights in the UK

SAF Options Abound at NBAA-BACE

All three Las Vegas airports will give operators the choice to participate

Lawmakers Form Senate Sustainable Aviation Caucus

Formation follows the creation of a Sustainable Aviation Caucus in the House

Denmark's Air Pax Tax Begins in 2025

New 'green tax' applies to aircraft with 10 or more seats

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