Camelina identified as promising crop for SAF in Scotland
In the UK, Seed World reported that scientists from The James Hutton Institute and SRUC have produced a new report for the Scottish Government examining the potential for oilseed cover crops grown in Scotland to serve as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel.
The evidence-based review, titled Oil-Based Cover Crops for Aviation Fuel in Scotland – Question and Answer Report, assesses the feasibility of cultivating oil-producing crops for biofuel production. The work follows a key recommendation from the recent Project Willow report — a joint UK and Scottish Government study exploring low-carbon industrial opportunities for Scotland’s Grangemouth site.
The report identifies camelina as the leading candidate crop. Already cultivated in several countries for aviation fuel production and in the UK for the health food market, camelina is considered a strong option due to the quality and suitability of its oil, according to the report.
Next, researchers will launch field trials to study how camelina performs under Scottish growing conditions and how it might integrate into local crop rotations. The project will also assess potential environmental impacts — both positive and negative — to better understand camelina’s role in Scotland’s transition to sustainable agriculture and low-carbon fuel production, the report added.
Tracy Valentine, Project Lead and Senior Research Scientist, said: ““This work will help to understand the potential for camelina to be grown as a biofuel crop in Scotland. Camelina is an oil seed plant, similar to oil seed rape and is part of the Brassicaceae plant family. It is widely grown across North America and Europe and is used for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production due to its high oil content and ultra-low carbon intensity compared to other alternative crops.”
Category: SAF
