Could this be the next big step towards a greener planet ?

Written By Abdulla M007

The aviation industry represents approximately 2-3% of global human-induced GreenHouse Gas emissions, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) could potentially set the scales on balance. The war against climate change could once and for all come to a peace treaty, with all that SAF has shown to offer from being a renewable source of energy and all its benefits, it will inevitably help mitigate the devastating effects produced by the human species on our planet. So let's explore more of what it has to offer. 

What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel? 

SAF is a new form of jet fuel which is made from renewable feedstock hence making it a renewable energy source.SAF comes from a range of sources to name a few: corn grain, oil seeds, algae and forestry residues. More so, when producing SAF there are multiple processes, and ASTM international, a body known for their universal standard in testing, has approved 8 technical pathways for producing SAF. A few pathways, include:

  • HEFA (Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids):

    • This process refined vegetable oils, waste oils, or fats into SAF through hydrotreating and hydroprocessing. 

  • Alcohol to Jet (AtJ):

    • This process converts alcohols into SAF by removing oxygen and linking molecules together. Currently only two feedstocks are approved for use in this technology: ethanol and iso-butanol.

Benefits:

  • Reduced Carbon Emissions by 80% on average, in comparison to traditional Jet fuel. 

  • It's a renewable energy source, since it relies on renewable feedstock. 

  • Compatible with all aircrafts that are certified to run on jet fuel. 

  • Extra revenue for farmers, farmers can earn more money during off seasons by providing feedstocks to this new market.

Limitations:

  • SAF has to be blended to make up a maximum of 50% of the mixture with traditional aviation fuel, so it cannot make a 100% of the mixture

  • Higher Cost than traditional Jet Fuel.

The main takeaways:

The remarkable advancements that the industry has come to without a doubt back up the promising SAF technology. Potentially, balancing the scales against climate change, despite there being challenges yet to be solved such as the issue with prices and supply of feedstock. There must be plans to overcome these issues backed up by bold targets and efforts by global leaders,  For instance, President Joe Biden, in 2021 hopes to supply 3 billion gallons of SAF annually by 2030, a large leap from the current 15.8 million gallons as per U.S. government data. With such clear statements I see hard not to believe why SAF would not grow in popularity and be a great step towards a brighter and greener future.


Work cited:

(No date a) Aviation industry invests in SAF to reach climate targets | phocuswire. Available at: https://www.phocuswire.com/Aviation-industry-invests-in-alternative-fuel-to-reach-climate-targets (Accessed: 18 June 2024).

(No date b) U.S. sustainable aviation fuel production target faces cost, margin challenges | Reuters. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/us-sustainable-aviation-fuel-production-target-faces-cost-margin-challenges-2023-11-01/ (Accessed: 18 June 2024).

(No date c) Sustainable aviation fuels | department of energy. Available at: https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/sustainable-aviation-fuels (Accessed: 18 June 2024).

The basics of SAF technology: The HEFA process (2023) SkyNRG. Available at: https://skynrg.com/sustainable-aviation-fuel/technology-basics/ (Accessed: 18 June 2024).

Sustainable aviation fuels (2022a) Airbus. Available at: https://www.airbus.com/en/sustainability/respecting-the-planet/decarbonisation/sustainable-aviation-fuels (Accessed: 18 June 2024).

What is sustainable aviation fuel and how is it made? (no date) World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/11/what-is-sustainable-aviation-fuel/ (Accessed: 18 June 2024).



Abdulla M007
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