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

Two years after it began, the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2022-05-13/phillips-66-establish-large-renewable-fuels-plant">permanent conversion</a> of Phillips 66's San Francisco Bay-area refinery from handling crude oil to producing renewable fuels is now complete.&nbsp;Known as the Rodeo Renewable Energy Complex, the plant has reached full output capacity of 50,000 barrels of renewable diesel and/or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) a day.
The facility includes new pre-treatment units to process feedstocks such as used cooking oil, fats, and greases. It became operational in March with an output of 30,000 barrels of renewable fuel a day.
Meanwhile, two other major fuel producers—bp and Shell—have sent mixed signals to the sustainable fuel market. UK-based bp reported that, while it has agreed to take full ownership of Bunge Bioenergia—its Brazilian biofuel joint-venture and one of the country’s largest biofuel producers—the company is scaling back plans for development of new SAF and renewable diesel biofuels projects at its existing sites, pausing planning for two potential projects while continuing to assess three for progression. Bp said the moves are aligned with its drive to simplify its portfolio, with a focus on value and returns.
Shell last week revealed it is pausing construction at its Rotterdam biofuels facility to “address project delivery and ensure future competitiveness given current market conditions.”&nbsp;It noted that low-carbon fuels remain a key part of its strategy to help the company and its customers profitably decarbonize.

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

While One Biofuel Producer Goes Full Throttle, Others Ponder the Market

Phillips 66 Rodeo Facility now produces 50,000 barrels a day of renewable fuel

While one major renewable fuel producer announces a milestone in production, two others take a more speculative stance.

Major SAF Plant Goes to Full Capacity, Others Ponder

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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

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.

The report sees the Midwest as a future hotbed of SAF production

Environmental Group Sees U.S. e-Fuel Potential

Kerry Lynch

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.

NBAA called a study suggesting business aviation emissions will need to be regulated 'misleading' 

NBAA Challenges Study Highlighting Bizav Emissions

NASA's Gulfstream G-III will use lidar technology to scan contrails of GE's Boeing 747

NASA and GE Plan Flight Tests To Study Contrails

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.

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.

Project also includes Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Honeywell Aerospace, and American Airlines, plus MIT and University of Michigan

NASA Contracts Electra for AACES Sustainable Airliner Program

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

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

4,000 solar panels have been fitted on buildings across the London-area facility

Solar Generates 25% of Farnborough's Electric Power

Matt Thurber

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.

More In Environment

Environmental Group Sees U.S. e-Fuel Potential

The report sees the Midwest as a future hotbed of SAF production

NBAA Challenges Study Highlighting Bizav Emissions

NBAA called a study suggesting business aviation emissions will need to be regulated 'misleading'

NASA and GE Plan Flight Tests To Study Contrails

NASA's Gulfstream G-III will use lidar technology to scan contrails of GE's Boeing 747

NASA Contracts Electra for AACES Sustainable Airliner Program

Project also includes Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Honeywell Aerospace, and American Airlines, plus MIT and University of Michigan

Solar Generates 25% of Farnborough's Electric Power

4,000 solar panels have been fitted on buildings across the London-area facility

San Carlos Flight Center Adopts Unleaded Swift 100R

High-octane unleaded avgas is becoming more available in California

Minnesota Selected for SAF Production Site

DG Fuels plans for the $5 billion production facility to be operational by 2030

Still In Its Infancy, SAF Growing by Leaps and Bounds

With jet-A holding a 75-year head start over SAF, it will take time to catch up

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